TY - JOUR
T1 - Reaction mechanisms for the decomposition of phenanthrene and naphthalene under hydrothermal conditions
AU - Onwudili, Jude A.
AU - Williams, Paul T.
PY - 2007/1/1
Y1 - 2007/1/1
N2 - Amongst the environmental chemical groups polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) comprise the largest group of carcinogens. Hydrothermal oxidation is an emerging technology which has attracted attention for the destruction of organic compounds in environmental samples. The oxidation reactions occur in an aqueous fluid phase under conditions below and around the critical point of water (Tc = 374 °C, Pc = 22.1 MPa). In this paper polycyclic aromatic compounds have been oxidised in a hydrothermal oxidation batch reactor. The PAH investigated were naphthalene and phenanthrene. The influence of temperature, pressure, sub-critical and supercritical conditions and reaction time were investigated in relation to the mechanisms of destruction of the PAH. At lower temperatures the PAHs were thermally cracked but as the temperature increased, hydroxylation of the aromatic moiety occurred leading to a series of activities including ring-opening and rearrangement reactions. It was found that up to 99 wt.% destruction of the PAH occurred at supercritical conditions.
AB - Amongst the environmental chemical groups polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) comprise the largest group of carcinogens. Hydrothermal oxidation is an emerging technology which has attracted attention for the destruction of organic compounds in environmental samples. The oxidation reactions occur in an aqueous fluid phase under conditions below and around the critical point of water (Tc = 374 °C, Pc = 22.1 MPa). In this paper polycyclic aromatic compounds have been oxidised in a hydrothermal oxidation batch reactor. The PAH investigated were naphthalene and phenanthrene. The influence of temperature, pressure, sub-critical and supercritical conditions and reaction time were investigated in relation to the mechanisms of destruction of the PAH. At lower temperatures the PAHs were thermally cracked but as the temperature increased, hydroxylation of the aromatic moiety occurred leading to a series of activities including ring-opening and rearrangement reactions. It was found that up to 99 wt.% destruction of the PAH occurred at supercritical conditions.
KW - Hydrothermal oxidation
KW - PAH
KW - Wastewater
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33750691405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896844606000921?via%3Dihub
U2 - 10.1016/j.supflu.2006.03.014
DO - 10.1016/j.supflu.2006.03.014
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33750691405
SN - 0896-8446
VL - 39
SP - 399
EP - 408
JO - Journal of Supercritical Fluids
JF - Journal of Supercritical Fluids
IS - 3
ER -