Kinetics of the reaction between ozone and phenolic acids present in agro-industrial wastewaters

The kinetics of the ozonation of three phenolic acids is investigated from ozone absorption experiments in a semi-continuous reactor. After the evaluation of stoichiometric ratios for the individual reactions between ozone and each phenolic acid, the oxidation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid by ozone is performed in a first stage. The influence of the operating variables on the degradation process is established, and the application of a mass transfer with chemical reaction model based on the film theory leads to the determination of the reaction orders and kinetic rate constants. The experimental absorption rates obtained agree well with those calculated theoretically. In the second stage, a mixture of ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid), beta -resorcylic acid (2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid is ozonated under different experimental conditions. The kinetic study is performed by means of a competitive method that takes p-hydroxybenzoic acid as reference compound. The application of this model allows to determine the kinetic rate constants for each compound, which are correlated as a function of pH and temperature. The results obtained support that the kinetic regime of absorption is fast and pseudo-first order with respect to ozone, a condition required by the competitive method used. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.