Ethers as pollutants in groundwater: the role of reaction parameters during the aquasonolysis

Citation
J. Lifka et al., Ethers as pollutants in groundwater: the role of reaction parameters during the aquasonolysis, WATER SCI T, 44(5), 2001, pp. 139-144
Citations number
15
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology
Journal title
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ISSN journal
0273-1223 → ACNP
Volume
44
Issue
5
Year of publication
2001
Pages
139 - 144
Database
ISI
SICI code
0273-1223(2001)44:5<139:EAPIGT>2.0.ZU;2-H
Abstract
Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is one of the most used fuel oxygenates. Oxygenates improve combustion, thereby reducing CO and hydrocarbon emissio ns in motor vehicle exhaust. MTBE is highly soluble in water and poorly sor bed to carbon based substrates such as soil. An important property of MTBE is its poor biodegradability. The treatment of contaminated groundwater and wastewater by means of conventional biological, chemical and physical tech niques turned out to be inefficient. As a matter of principle the degradati on of organic compounds by ultrasound in water (aquasonolysis) is practicab le as an advanced technology for remediation of waters contaminated with MT BE. The degradation reactions mainly occur in the cavitation bubbles as pyr olytical processes. Under the test conditions, the frequency range between 300 and 800 kHz leads to acceptable degradation values at a power density o f 5 W/cm(2). The degradation was not suppressed by radical scavenger (n-but anol). With concentrations above 25 mg/L MTBE in water, significantly influ ence of concentration on degradation could be observed.