Investigation of MTBE degradation using advanced oxidation technologies
Subtitle: UV/H2O2, UV/TiO2, and UV/TiO2/H2O2
Published: 2004
Language: eng
Number of pages: 100
Description: Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) present in drinking water sources poses a potential threat to human health. In this study, three advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) were investigated for MTBE degradation: UV/H 2O2, UV/TiO2, and UV/TiO2/H2O 2. MTBE degradation was found to follow the pseudo-first-order kinetics in all the three processes, and the rate constant (k) was affected by the concentrations of H2O2 and TiO 2. But higher concentration levels demonstrated a diminishing return on the reaction rate since excessive H2O2 would act as &middot;OH scavenger and more TiO2 would block the light passage. The addition of H2O2 to the UV/TiO2 system displayed a negative influence on MTBE degradation compared to the UV/TiO 2 system. Increasing light intensity enhanced MTBE degradation in the UV/H2O2 process (k &prop;  IavgH) and the UV/TiO2 processes ( k &prop;   IavgT ). Two mathematical models were proposed to estimate the rate constants with respect to the average light intensity in the solution (I avgH) and H2O2 concentration in the UV/H 2O2 process, and average light intensity in the solution (IavgT) and TiO2 concentration in the UV/TiO2 process.
Notes: Adviser:  Ramin R. Farnood.

Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2004.

Electronic version licensed for access by U. of T. users.

Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, page: 2268.

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