UV photodegradation of phenolic aldehydes present in industrial wastewaters

The photodegradation of aqueous solutions of Vanillin aldehyde (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzaldehyde), an important pollutant present in wastewaters generated in different agro-industrial plants, has been carried out by direct polychromatic UV radiation. The oxidation experiments were performed at different temperatures and pH. In order to evaluate the radiation flow rate absorbed by the solutions, the line source spherical emission model is used. The application of this model provides the determination of the reaction quantum yields which are well correlated by an expression which takes into account the influence of the temperature on them.