Abstract

Organophosphorus is the most common pesticides being used all over the world. These compounds are poisons which can easily enter the water table and other drinking sources during application in crop fields since using some drinking water accumulating an amount of toxins of elevated value than the standard level, results unwanted impacts on health of individuals. These studies aimed to search the effectiveness of removal of Malathion from water by method of Ultraviolet Irradiation (UV) medium pressure and with a Mercury lamp.

Methods: In this study, variants of primary pH and initial concentrations and exposure times were examined. Initial concentrations of Malathion were 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/l. The samples aliquots were then exposed to UV irradiation uncontinuously with the time periods of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes. The UV medium pressure (irradiation irradiation by HPLC instrument. Furthermore, the results achieved from the experiment were analyzed using SPSS software and ANOVA and t-test statistical trials.

Results: The minimum concentration dropped off occurs at 10 min (46%) and the maximum reduction in 60 min (87.25%) (P<0.05) Additionally, the efficiency of irradiation process is inversely proportional to the concentration of pesticide (P<0.001). However, the efficiency of the process increases with pH increase.

Conclusion: The result data show the most efficacies were attained at pH=9, at 60 min and 0.5 mg/l consequently the application of UV reactors could be regarded as an appropriate method