Oxidation of 2-chlorophenol in water by ultrasound/fenton method

One of the toxic and refractory pollutants formed during the color removal of fertilizer, chemical, and petroleum industrial effluents by chlorine is 2-chlorophenol (2-cp). The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of H₂O₂ and Fe²⁺ dosages on the decomposition of 2-cp using coupled ultrasound/Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ process. The extent of 2-cp decomposition and mineralization depends on the dosages of H₂O₂ and Fe²⁺. More than 99% of 2-cp was decomposed and 86% of 2-cp was mineralized using the ultrasound/Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ process at Fe²⁺ of 10 mg/L and H₂O₂ of 500 mg/L. Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) monitoring is a useful method for determining the decomposition efficiency of the target compound. There was a slight increase in the ORP values with increasing Fe²⁺ dosages, and an apparent increase with increasing H₂O₂ dosages was observed. The major intermediate formed during the decomposition of 2-cp was 2-chloro-p-benzoquinone. It was also readily decomposed using the coupled ultrasound/Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ process.