The most effective destruction of OTC by UV/PS was achieved at near neutral pH.
Deprotonated HOTC− had the highest second-order rate constant with SO4class="glyphImg imgLazyJSB">−.
Presence of HCO3− or Cu2+ enhanced the removal of OTC in UV/PS system.
Total organic carbon was degraded slowly during the mineralization of OTC.
Studies on the degradation mechanism revealed four different reaction pathways.