Electrochemical Reduction of Dinitrotoluene
Abstract
This study evaluated electrochemical reduction of a model nitro aromatic (dinitrotoluene, or DNT) that has shown the tendency to undergo reduction reactions. Objectives were to investigate the effect of stirring rate and the identity of the cathode material on the rate of DNT degradation, and to evaluate the fate of by-products, with specific attention to the mass balance and the potential formation of polymers of the reduced compounds and the parent compound. A bench-scale study was done of the degradation of 2,4-DNT in an electrochemical reactor. The rate of the degradation was measured under various experimental conditions. The by-products of degradation were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC. A mass balance for the products was obtained under a variety of experimental conditions, both in the aqueous and solid phases. The stirring rate was found to affect the overall rate of degradation in some cases. A satisfactory mass balance for the products was achieved with 2,4-diaminotoluene (DAT) dominating in deoxygenated experiments and the dimers being important in the precipitating solid in the oxygenated experiments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA372795
Entities
People
- Devakumaran Meenakshisundaram
- Jennifer L. Jolas
- Simo Pehkonen
- Stephen W. Maloney
Organizations
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory