The critical role of the operating conditions on the Fenton oxidation of 2-chlorophenol: Assessment of PCDD/Fs formation

•Oxidation byproducts were quantified when 2-CPs was treated by Fenton process.•H2O2 dose, Tª and chloride show positive influence in the degradation of 2-CP.•TOC balance was only closed with H2O2 at 100% of the stoichiometric dose and 70°C.•Besides, PCDD/Fs formation, promoted in the presence of chloride, was quantified. This work assesses the influence of the operating conditions H2O2 dose (20 or 100% of the stoichiometric amount), temperature (20 or 70°C), and the presence of chloride in the oxidation medium in the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) during Fenton treatment of aqueous samples of 2-chlorophenol, 2-CP, one of the strongest precursor of PCDD/Fs. After 4h of oxidation in the experiments carried out with 20% H2O2 chlorinated phenoxyphenols and biphenyls, which are intermediates in PCDD/Fs formation, as well as PCDD/Fs were observed, resulting in concentrations 11 times higher than in the untreated sample. Additionally, when NaCl was also present in the reaction medium, PCDD/Fs were formed at higher extent, with a total concentration 74.4 times higher than in the untreated 2-CP solution. Results depicted a preferential formation of PCDFs over PCDDs, with dominance of lower chlorinated PCDD/Fs (tetra and penta-PCDD/Fs). Besides, the formation of the most toxic PCDD/Fs congeners (2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs) was not favored under the operating conditions used in this work.