Advanced degradation of refractory pollutants in incineration leachate by UV/Peroxymonosulfate

Biological treatment is not completely effective for the removal of all refractory organics, including fulvic-like and humic-like substances, in fresh leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration. In this study, a UV/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) process was used to degrade the refractory pollutants that remained in the bio-treatment effluent. The reaction conditions were optimal when 10 g/L of PMS was used at a pH of 8.96. 70.6% of COD was degraded within 60 min with optimal reaction conditions. The refractory organics were degraded by the UV/PMS process, which generated intermediates with low molecular weight. The mechanisms involved in this advanced degradation process were uncovered by detecting the generation and conversion of radicals during the oxidation reaction.