Oxidative degradation of phenol, three monochlorophenols (2-chlorophenol, 2-CP; 3-chlorophenol, 3-CP; 4-chlorophenol, 4-CP), four dichlorophenols (2,3-dichlorophenol, 2,3-DCP; 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4-DCP; 2,5-dichlorophenol, 2,5-DCP; 2,6-dichlorophenol, 2,6-DCP), and two trichlorophenols (2,4,5-trichlorophenol, 2,4,5-TCP; 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,4,6-TCP) was conducted with heat activated persulfate. As the number of chlorinations increased, the reaction rate also increased. The reaction rate was relatively well fitted to the zero-order kinetic model, rather than the pseudo-first order kinetic model for the reactions at 60℃, which can be explained by insufficient activation of the persulfate at 60℃, and the oxidation reaction of 2,4,6-TCP at 70℃ was relatively well fitted to the pseudo-first order kinetic model. The oxidation reaction rate generally increased with increase of persulfate concentration in the solution. 2,6-dichloro-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione was found as a degradation product in a GC/MS analysis. This compound is a non-aromatic compound, and one chlorine was removed. This result is similar to the result of previous studies. The current study proved that heat activated persulfate activation could be an alternative remediation technology for phenol and chlorophenols in soil and groundwater.

The regiospecific potential for the reductive dechlorination of 2-, 3-, 4-, 2,3-, 2,4-, and 3,4-chlorophenols (CPs) was studied in mono- and di-CP(DCP) adapted sediment slurries(10% solids). Freshwater sediments adapted to transform 2-CP dechlorinated all tested mono- and di-CPs except 4-CP without a lag period. Adaptation to 2-CP, thus, enhanced the onset of dechlorination of 3-CP and all ortho-substituted CPs tested. Sediment adapted to transform 3-CP dechlorinated all tested CPs, except 4-CP and 2,4-DCP, without a lag period. Sediments adapted lo individual DCPs (2,3-, 2,4-, and 3,4-DCP) exhibited dechlorination (no lag phase) of 2-CP, 2,3-, 2,4-, and 3.4-DCP. Interestingly, meta-cleavage of 3,4-DCP in all tested adapted sediment occurred, while para-cleavage occurred in 3,4-DCP adapted sediment. Sediments adapted to dechlorinate ortho and meta-chlorines exhibited a preference for meta following ortho-cleavage, but not for para-cleavage, while the preference for reductive dechlorination was ortho > meta > para for mono-CPs and ortho > para > meta for DCPs in unadapted freshwater anoxic sediments.