Chemical degradation of polyacrylamide by advanced oxidation processes.

This paper presents the results obtained from the oxidation of polyacrylamide (PAM) by the UV/H2O2, Fenton, UV/Fenton, visible light/Fenton, visible light/Fenton/C2O4(2-), UV/Fenton/C2O4(2-), visible light/Fenton/C4H4O6(2-) and UV/Fenton/C4H4O6(2-) processes. Degradation efficiency for PAM had the following order: UV/Fenton/C4H4O6(2-) > UV/Fenton/C2O4(2-) > visible light/Fenton/C4H4O6(2-) > visible light/Fenton/C2O4(2-) > UV/Fenton > visible light/Fenton > UV/H2O2 > Fenton. The addition of tartrate had a positive effect on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. Increasing the concentrations of reagents promoted the oxidation of PAM by the UV/Fenton/C4H4O6(2-) process. The presence of NaCl led to large decreases in the COD removal in the PAM solution.