Bioluminescent Monitoring: Detoxification of Phenol Solutions by Humic Substances and UV-irradiation

Abstract

The study demonstrates redox activity of humic substances in solutions of organic reducers and oxidizers; a series of homologous 1,4-hydroquinones (phenols) and their oxidized forms (1,4-quinones) was taken as an example. The well-founded interrelation between redox potentials of the quinone-phenols pairs and detoxification coefficients in the humic solutions was ascertained. Photoinduced UV detoxification of the phenol solutions was revealed; combined effect of humic substances and UV irradiation in the phenol solutions was studied as well. Detoxification coefficients were calculated. A conclusion was made that UV-irradiation and treatment by humic substances reveal non-additive but antagonistic effect.