Elimination of the musk fragrances galaxolide and tonalide from wastewater by ozonation and concomitant stripping.

Ozone reacts with the musk fragrances tonalide and galaxolide with rate constants of 8 M(-1)s(-1) and 140 M(-1)s(-1), respectively. In wastewater, ozone eliminates only the more reactive compound, galaxolide, in competition with its reaction with the wastewater matrix. As both compounds are also stripped in a bubble column, tonalide is also eliminated to some extent.