Urea removal for ultrapure water production by VUV/UV/chlorine under acidic aqueous conditions: Facile elimination and efficient denitrification

Urea in the ultrapure water production process threatens semiconductor manufacturing . This work proposed a urea removal strategy involving the VUV/UV/chlorine process in an acidic solution to achieve high-efficiency urea removal. VUV/UV/chlorine could thoroughly remove urea of 2 mg/L within 9 min at pH 3. A TN removal rate of 70% and a dissolved organic carbon removal rate of 84% were achieved in the urea degradation process . The decrease in pH and the increase in oxidant dosage could improve urea removal efficiency. The presence of chloride anion could improve urea removal by 55–85%. Based on the radical probe and quenching experiments, free radicals accounted for more than 90% of urea removal. •Cl 2 − and •OH were calculated to contribute approximately 36% and 22%, respectively, to urea removal. •Cl and •ClO together contributed less than 32%. The chlorination of urea was responsible for less than 10% of urea removal. Nitrogen in urea was transformed efficiently into inorganic nitrogen (N 2 , ammonium, and nitrate with a rough ratio of 6:1:1.1). Organic chlorine products formed in the urea degradation process took up less than 3% in all chlorine element and was converted into chloride anion finally.