Catalytic Degradation of Lindane Using Gamma Radiations: Degradation Products

Lindane is a concerned pollutant because of its long-term persistence in the environment, potential bio-accumulating characteristic, and associated harms caused to human lives and the environment. Radiolytic degradation of lindane (1.0 mg.L-1) in aqueous phase carried out through gamma (gamma) irradiation by 60Co source with 1-12 kGy dose range. The gamma-radiation dose optimized and maximum degradation of lindane achieved with 10 kGy at ambient temperature. The catalytical effect of TiO2 and Fe2O3 on degradation efficiency was inves-tigated. The results demonstrate that degradation enhanced with addition of catalyst. The maximum degradation of lindane achieved with TiO2 as compare to Fe2O3. Maximum degradation (%) of lindane was 99% with TiO2; 95% with Fe2O3 and 90.2% without catalyst at 10 kGy dose. Change in concentration of lindane as result of irradiation was verified by HPLC equipped with UV detector. Lindane degradation products extracted and pre-concentrated through Solid Phase Micro-Extraction (SPME) technique. A reaction mechanism envisaged by analyzing the resulting by-products using a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The optimized method applied to industrial wastewater, containing lindane, to evaluate the efficiency of method.