Kinetic model of 4-CP degradation by Fenton/O2 system.

A kinetic model of the degradation of 4-CP by Fenton/O(2) system was established, in which particular attention was paid to the role of oxygen in the process because many former researches suggested that the presence of oxygen could decrease the input of H(2)O(2). The proposed model well predicted 4-CP degradation and H(2)O(2) consumption by Fenton/O(2) and Fenton/N(2) systems at varying levels of Fe(2+), H(2)O(2), and 4-CP input. Most correlation coefficients between experimental and predicted data of 4-CP and H(2)O(2) concentration were above 0.95. The model could predict the enhancement of 4-CP degradation by oxygen and the difference in the evolution of aromatic intermediates between Fenton/O(2) and Fenton/N(2) system. The predicted and experimental data both showed the degree of benzene ring cleavage in Fenton/O(2) system was higher than that in Fenton/N(2) system. Understanding the role of oxygen is very important to improve the decomposition performance.