Chemical Reductive Transformations of Synthetic Organic Compounds. Probe Compound Studies and Mechanistic Modeling
Abstract
Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) can be used to selectively remove DNT (2,4-dinitrotoluene) from a complex waste stream by adding a precursor compound such as ethanol, which forms a reducing radical upon reaction with hydroxyl radical. A kinetic model that was previously developed to describe the results of batch AOP treatment by H2O2/UV did not give satisfactory predictive results obtained when extended to describe flow experiments. The present study farther investigated the chemistry of this system, including the oxidation by-product acetaldehyde, which was known to have multiple degradation pathways involving the formation of both oxidizing and reducing radicals. During the course of the investigation, the mechanism required to describe the system grew from 8 to over 30 reactions, with several new reactions found and several rate constants measured. The mechanism successfully described subsystems during calibration and upon combination of some subsystems, but the combined model for the entire reaction system did not give satisfactory prediction for some by-products when ethanol was added to the system. This is thought to be partly due to participation of unknown by-products from some of the new reactions, which require further study. The combined model gave better prediction of experimental results from the previous flow experiments than did the simpler model developed earlier. No multistability was found.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA397728
Entities
People
- Gary R. Peyton
- Mary H. Lefaivre
- Stephen W. Maloney
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center