KWRRI Research Reports

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to explore the advantages and/or limitations of high-energy radiation treatment as a method for degrading organic pollutants, particularly aryl halides, in an aqueous medium. We have done analyses of 60Co-irradiated samples and kinetic studies using pulsed electron beams. For aryl halides containing no more than two fused rings, the main products detected are those of simple halogen replacement by hydrogen, although the amount of aryl halide destroyed was always greater than the total amount of products detected. To accomplish halogen replacement by H, the reaction solvent may not be pure water but must contain a hydrogen source such as an aliphatic alcohol. The absence of such an additive, results in products of aryl radical addition to aryl halide. The necessary amount of additive required is quite small for halobenzenes. With aryl halides of three (and presumably more than three) fused rings, the radical-anion intermediates either undergo conversion to halogen-containing dihydroarenes, or lose halogen to form raqicals which resist reaction with H-donating additive and thus form dimers. When aryl halides are solubilized in micelle-forming detergent solutions, the detergent molecules serve as hydrogen atom sources. Conversions are highest with cationic detergents.

Publication Date

10-1992

Report Number

183

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/kwrri.rr.183

Funding Information

The work upon which this report is based was supported in part by funds provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington D.C. as authorized by the Water Resources Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-397.

Preliminary work on this project was supported by a grant BRSG 507 RR07114-21 from the NIH. The principle investigator also acknowledges support from a Research Corporation Research Opportunity Award.

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