System and method for generation of reactive oxygen species and applications thereof

Abstract

A reactive oxygen species formulation is provided by preparing a peracid mixture in an activated pH range including mixing alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution with acyl donor in molar proportions with an excess of the acyl donor to hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide and acyl donor are reacted to produce a peracid mixture comprising no more than a small quantity of hydrogen peroxide, and pH is adjusted as needed to initially prepare the formulation in the activated pH range. Water treatment with the reactive oxygen species formulation facilitates formation and separation of solids removable during clarification, and which may be followed by a second treatment with the reactive oxygen species formulation for antimicrobial treatment of clarified water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a reactive oxygen species formulation, the method comprising:
 preparing a peracid mixture in an activated pH range of from pH 9.5 to pH 12.5 for generating reactive oxygen species including singlet oxygen, the preparing comprising:   mixing an alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution with an acyl donor in molar proportions with a molar excess of the acyl donor to hydrogen peroxide in the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution;   reacting the hydrogen peroxide and the acyl donor to produce a peracid mixture comprising hydrogen peroxide in an amount of less than 3% of a mass concentration of peracid in the peracid mixture;   during or after the mixing adjusting pH to initially prepare the peracid mixture at a pH in the activated pH range for generating the reactive oxygen species.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive oxygen species formulation comprises singlet oxygen and superoxide. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acyl donor is an acetyl donor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising preparing the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution, comprising:
 combining a hydrogen peroxide-containing feed solution and an alkali-containing feed solution in relative quantities to provide a molar ratio of H 2 O 2  to alkali in a range of from 1:1.2 to 1:2.5.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive oxygen species formulation is distributed to a point of use. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the reactive oxygen species formulation is in at least one form selected from the group consisting of a liquid, an ice, a foam, an emulsion, a microemulsion and an aerosol. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising applying the reactive oxygen species formulation to a substrate to be subjected to oxidation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution is prepared from bulk chemical feedstocks or generated electrochemically. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution is generated electrochemically, has a pH in a range of pH 12.0 to pH 13.0, and has a percent weight of hydrogen peroxide in the range of 0.1 to 3 wt %. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution comprises a molar ratio of superoxide to hydrogen peroxide in a range of from 0.01:1 to 10:1 and a pH in a range from pH 8 to pH 13. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising after the adjusting the pH, diluting the peracid mixture. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peracid mixture comprises hydrogen peroxide at less than 0.5% of a mass concentration of peracid in the peracid mixture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peracid mixture comprises no detectible level of hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising applying the peracid mixture to a substrate to be subjected to oxidation within a few hours following the adjusting pH to initially prepare the peracid mixture as a pH in the activated pH range. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the substrate is contained in water to be treated and the applying comprises adding the peracid mixture to the water to be treated. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the substrate comprises one or more chemical species to be oxidized in the water to be treated. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the substrate comprises clean in place applications. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the oxidation cleans and sanitizes. 
     
     
         19 . A method for treating water, comprising:
 adding a reactive oxygen species formulation to the water, wherein as added to the water during the adding the reactive oxygen species formulation of the adding comprises:
 a peracid; 
 a pH in a range of from pH 9.5 to 12.5; and
 no hydrogen peroxide or hydrogen peroxide at less than 3% of a mass concentration of peracid in the peracid mixture; and 
 
   after the adding the reactive oxygen species formulation, clarifying the water, comprising separating solids from the water.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising after the clarifying, antimicrobial treatment of the water, the antimicrobial treatment comprising
 second adding a reactive oxygen species formulation to the water, wherein as added to the water during the second adding the reactive oxygen species formulation of the second adding comprises:
 a peracid; 
 a pH in a range of from pH 9.5 to 12.5; and
 no hydrogen peroxide or hydrogen peroxide at less than 3% of a mass concentration of peracid in the peracid mixture.