Photocatalytic detoxification of microcystins combined with ferrate pretreatment.

This work focuses on the development and evaluation of a combined technique including ferrate oxidation and photocatalytic detoxification of microcystins. Greater removal efficiency of the microcystins-LR (MLR) can be achieved using the combined process. The experimental result demonstrates that the residual Fe after ferrate oxidation can enhance the efficiency of photocatalytic reaction. The optimal dosage of ferrate 20 mg/l was determined by studying the degradations of total organic carbon (TOC) and MLR at different concentrations of residual Fe. As expected, pH had a remarkable influence on the reaction rate of detoxification of MLR and a low pH was beneficial to the reaction.