[Efficiency of advanced oxidation and hydroxyl technology in methyl terciary - butyl ether [MTBE]]

ABSTRACT

Advanced oxidation processes have been demonstrated as the rapid and effective methods for the treatment of a vast range of the refractory pollutants. The aim of this study was to use ozone in reaction with hydroxyl radicals [high-PH] as the reaction accelerator for MTBE degradation in industrial wastewater and polluted water. The effect of O3 with the hydroxyl radicals [high-PH] was experimented for MTBE degradation in an aqueous phase. All the reactions were performed in a semi-continuous bubbling column reactor. The effects of PH, reaction time and rate of O3 needed to attain complete MTBE degradation were examined. MTBE ozonation in five different PHs [10,10.5,11,11.5 and 12] during 100 minutes for each PH was performed. The study showed that the PH=11.5 is the fittest PH for MTBE degradation by the radical reactions. In this pH [intermediates] /[MTBE] ratio was 0.6v / mM that it is 20% more than its nearest ratio [related to PH=11]. The least time [70 minutes] and needed ozone [5.3 moles] for 90% degradation of each mole of MTBE occurred at PH=11.5. The test performed to determine the rate of removed MTBE as a result of air stripping showed that this rate was 11-19.5% at different PHs during 100 minutes. There was no significant relationship between the rate of removed MTBE as a result of air stripping and the aqueous PH at PHs=10-12 at level of 5% error. MTBE is relatively resistant to degradation even in advanced oxidation processes, but with continuous oxidation can be degraded completely and the best PH for that is11.5