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Abstract
The advanced oxidation of some polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbos, PAHs (fluorene, phenanthrene and acenaphthene) in surface waters where they were added was studied with ozone alone or combined with hydrogen peroxide or UV radiation (254 nm) or with the combination of the latter two. The influence of water nature (surface and organic‐free waters) and type of oxidation was investigated. Oxidation rates in surface waters are generally slower than those in organic‐free waters. PAHs are in any case removed from surface waters at high oxidation rates with half life ranging from less than 1 minute when ozone is used in combination to UV radiation to 1 to 3 minutes for the other advanced oxidations. Application of UV radiation alone lead to the lowest degradation rates with half lifes of more than 6 minutes. Among the PAHs studied, fluorene is the one with the lowest oxidation rates regardless of type of advanced oxidation applied.