Abstract

In this study, the photooxidation and ozonation of humic acid (HA) in aqueous solution were conducted and the treated HA samples at different reaction time were analyzed using ultrafiltration techniques to evaluate the change of their molecular size distributions with its DOC removal. Molecular size distribution of untreated HA showed 41.5% in higher molecular size fractions (>30,000 daltons) and 15.2% in much smaller molecular size fraction (<500 daltons). As UV irradiation time was increased, it was observed that the degradation of the large molecules of the fraction of >30,000 daltons into much smaller molecules was increased. In UV system, the HA molecules of the fraction of <500 daltons became significantly more and its percentage was increased from 35.3% (UV only irradiation) to 58.9% (<TEX>$UV/TiO_2$</TEX>) and 87.8% (<TEX>$UV/H_2O_2$</TEX>) in the presence of the photocatalysis. Otherwise, ozonation of HA produced mainly the fraction of medium molecular size ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 daltons with much lower portion (<~7%) in the fraction of <500 daltons. In ozone only system, the fraction of 30,000~10,000 daltons occupied in 41.5% at 60 min of ozonation time. In <TEX>$O_3/H_2O_2$</TEX> system, the fraction of 30,000~10,000 daltons and 10,000~3,000 daltons occupied in 38.9% and 36.2% respectively. Based on these results, we suggested applicable treatment process which could be combined with <TEX>$UV/H_2O_2$</TEX>, <TEX>$UV/TiO_2$</TEX> and <TEX>$O_3$</TEX>, <TEX>$O_3/H_2O_2$</TEX> system for more effective removal of humic acid in water treatment.