Comparative Study of the Effect of Vacuum-Ultraviolet Irradiation on Natural Organic Matter of Different Sources

Abstract

Natural organic matter (NOM) present in surface water sources undergoes significant structural and chemical changes during the application of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV)–based advanced oxidation process (AOP), which leads to the formation of undesired by-products such as aldehydes. Partial NOM mineralization can occur depending on the fluence received. In this paper, the VUV-induced degradation of NOM and the subsequent formation of by-products were experimentally studied. Two natural waters (Trepanier Creek and Capilano Reservoir, in British Columbia, Canada) and two synthetic waters (Suwannee River, Southern Georgia and Northern Florida; Nordic Reservoir, Vallsjøen, Skarnes, Norway) were used. While the process started with partial oxidation of NOM, extensive irradiation (i.e., high