Impact of UV-C irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrile

Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation is practiced at the point-of-use and point-of-entry as a last barrier disinfection strategy. Interaction between UV-C light and chlroinated drinking water can result in photo-induced transformation and remediation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). The study investi...

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Main Authors: Lohita Rajesh, Joshua Fiorentino, Thomas Roberts, Sean T. McBeath, Mariana Lanzarini-Lopes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Environmental Advances
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765725000043
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author Lohita Rajesh
Joshua Fiorentino
Thomas Roberts
Sean T. McBeath
Mariana Lanzarini-Lopes
author_facet Lohita Rajesh
Joshua Fiorentino
Thomas Roberts
Sean T. McBeath
Mariana Lanzarini-Lopes
author_sort Lohita Rajesh
collection DOAJ
description Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation is practiced at the point-of-use and point-of-entry as a last barrier disinfection strategy. Interaction between UV-C light and chlroinated drinking water can result in photo-induced transformation and remediation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). The study investigates how engineering design factors (such as the wavelength and irradiance of UV-C LEDs) and experimental parameters (such as solvent and reactor volume) affect the degradation kinetics of a photolyzable nitrogenous DBP, dibromoacetonitrile (DBAN). UV-C LEDs with characteristic peak wavelengths of 265, 275, and 280 nm and output power of 32–40 mW were studied to degrade DBAN, where acetone and methyl tert-butyl ether (MtBE) were used as the preparation solvents. Quantum yield fluence-based kinetic rate constants (kf), and electrical energy per order (EEO) were calculated for different experimental conditions. EEO was inversely related to quantum yield and lowest for the 265 nm high-power UV-C LED at 80.43 kWh/m3. A significant finding is that incident irradiance greatly impacted the degradation kinetics even when normalized by fluence. The 265 nm high-power LED resulted in 2.3-times higher quantum yield and fluence-based degradation kinetics than the 265 low-power LED and a corresponding 3.5 times lower EEO despite the same wavelength of irradiance. Lastly, we demonstrate that the solvent selected significantly impacts kinetics, where the degradation of DBAN with acetone is 2.28-times greater than with MtBE at the 275 nm wavelength. Indirect photochemical reactions increase observed degradation kinetics; therefore, solvents should be carefully selected for photochemical studies targeting water treatment. This study provides key insights to engineers, as well as an understanding of the impact of UV-C-based POU treatment design for drinking water systems.
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spelling doaj-art-02b9b7919ed74065b224f5f41cbac3002025-01-20T04:17:57ZengElsevierEnvironmental Advances2666-76572025-04-0119100612Impact of UV-C irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrileLohita Rajesh0Joshua Fiorentino1Thomas Roberts2Sean T. McBeath3Mariana Lanzarini-Lopes4Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, United StatesEnvironmental and Water Resources Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, United StatesEnvironmental and Water Resources Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, United StatesEnvironmental and Water Resources Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, United StatesCorresponding author.; Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003, United StatesUltraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation is practiced at the point-of-use and point-of-entry as a last barrier disinfection strategy. Interaction between UV-C light and chlroinated drinking water can result in photo-induced transformation and remediation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). The study investigates how engineering design factors (such as the wavelength and irradiance of UV-C LEDs) and experimental parameters (such as solvent and reactor volume) affect the degradation kinetics of a photolyzable nitrogenous DBP, dibromoacetonitrile (DBAN). UV-C LEDs with characteristic peak wavelengths of 265, 275, and 280 nm and output power of 32–40 mW were studied to degrade DBAN, where acetone and methyl tert-butyl ether (MtBE) were used as the preparation solvents. Quantum yield fluence-based kinetic rate constants (kf), and electrical energy per order (EEO) were calculated for different experimental conditions. EEO was inversely related to quantum yield and lowest for the 265 nm high-power UV-C LED at 80.43 kWh/m3. A significant finding is that incident irradiance greatly impacted the degradation kinetics even when normalized by fluence. The 265 nm high-power LED resulted in 2.3-times higher quantum yield and fluence-based degradation kinetics than the 265 low-power LED and a corresponding 3.5 times lower EEO despite the same wavelength of irradiance. Lastly, we demonstrate that the solvent selected significantly impacts kinetics, where the degradation of DBAN with acetone is 2.28-times greater than with MtBE at the 275 nm wavelength. Indirect photochemical reactions increase observed degradation kinetics; therefore, solvents should be carefully selected for photochemical studies targeting water treatment. This study provides key insights to engineers, as well as an understanding of the impact of UV-C-based POU treatment design for drinking water systems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765725000043DBANN-DBP photolysisUV-C LEDDrinking water toxicityDBP, POU
spellingShingle Lohita Rajesh
Joshua Fiorentino
Thomas Roberts
Sean T. McBeath
Mariana Lanzarini-Lopes
Impact of UV-C irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrile
Environmental Advances
DBAN
N-DBP photolysis
UV-C LED
Drinking water toxicity
DBP, POU
title Impact of UV-C irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrile
title_full Impact of UV-C irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrile
title_fullStr Impact of UV-C irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrile
title_full_unstemmed Impact of UV-C irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrile
title_short Impact of UV-C irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrile
title_sort impact of uv c irradiance and wavelength on the photodegradation of dibromoacetonitrile
topic DBAN
N-DBP photolysis
UV-C LED
Drinking water toxicity
DBP, POU
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765725000043
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AT seantmcbeath impactofuvcirradianceandwavelengthonthephotodegradationofdibromoacetonitrile
AT marianalanzarinilopes impactofuvcirradianceandwavelengthonthephotodegradationofdibromoacetonitrile