Kinetic modeling on photooxidative degradation of C.I. Acid Orange 7 in a tubular continuous-flow photoreactor

The decolorization of C.I. Acid Orange 7 (AO7), an anionic monoazo dye of acid class, was investigated using UV radiation in the presence of H2O2 in a tubular continuous-flow photoreactor as a function of oxidant and dye concentrations, reactor length and volumetric flow rate. The removal efficiency of AO7 depends on the operational parameters and increases as the initial concentration of H2O2 is increased but it decreases when the flow rate and initial concentration of AO7 are increased. The decolorization rate follows pseudo-first order kinetic with respect to the dye concentration. A rate equation for decolorization of AO7 was achieved by kinetic modeling. This model allows predicting concentration of AO7 in different photoreactor lengths for different volumetric flow rates and initial concentrations of H2O2 and AO7. The calculated results obtained from kinetic model were in good agreement with experimental data.