The destruction of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene and
fluorene in aqueous solution using advanced oxidation process H2O2/UV was investigated. The influence of
pH, initial hydrogen peroxide and radical scavenger concentrations on the reaction rate was studied. The
oxidation reactions most rapidly run in neutral and acidic solution at optimal hydrogen peroxide concentration
(ca. 0.01 M). The degradation of benzo[a]pyrene and chrysene follows radical reaction, for fluorene the
mechanism is not clear. The rate constants of the hydroxyl radicals and selected PAHs reaction were found
to be 2.53×1010, 9.82×109 and 2.77×109M−1S−1 for benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene and fluorene, respectively