| This thesis compares TiO2 photocatalysis attached to a granular medium against an adsorbant, granular activated carbon, to quantify and model the degradation of atrazine in water. The results of the laboratory study chow that atrazine at low aqueous concentrations degrades rapidly with both processes. After ten minutes of reaction, the TiO2 & GAC produced a 97% reduction compared with GAC adsorption at a 90% reduction. Statistical testing found that at higher initial concentrations photocatalysis was significantly more effective than adsorption. The analytical results from both series of tests were used to model the reaction kinetics. Photocatalysis and adsorption data were first-order model for reaction coefficients of 0.39 & 0.30, respectively. This work demonstrates that photocatalysis is a preferred method for treating atrazine since it degrades organic compounds rapidly in ultraviolet light and can be modeled simply. |
