Model Experiments on the Influence of Artificial Humic Compounds on Chemodenitrification

Chemodenitrification is of importance in both soils and the treatment of some types of wastewater. During model experiments,the impact of various conditions, such as pH and especially artificial humic matter and oxygen on this process was studied to build upkinetic models. The chemodenitrification rate decreased due to the ongoingautoxidation/polymerization of hydroquinone to artificial humic matterfrom 11.02 μg (L h)^-1 after 7 days autoxidation to 5.38 μg (L h)^-1 after 14 days at pH 4 under aerobic conditionsand an initial nitrite concentration of 250 μg L^-1. At the same pH,with the same nitrite concentration, and in the presence of Roth humic matter(2 mg L^-1) under aerobic conditions, the chemodenitrification rate was0.73 μg (L h)^-1, whereas under anaerobic conditions itwas considerably higher (2.88 μg (L h)^-1). In anothermodel experiment, it was shown that the amount of nitrite incorporated into the artificial humic matter was less then 1%. Further, it was found that the main reaction product of chemodenitrification is NO.