Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4485535 Water Research 2007 10 Pages PDF
Abstract

The chemical degradation of the endocrine disrupting chemical, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), was investigated by different treatment processes including ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, ozonation (O3), and UV/O3. O demethylation, dimerization, and oxidation have been found to be the main degradation mechanisms. A systematic decay pathway was proposed based on ten identified intermediates in the studied processes, including a unique pathway leading to the formation of precipitates in the ozonation process. An unconventional minimum-type variation of BHA decay rate constants from acidic to caustic range has been found for both ozonation and UV/O3 processes. The precipitates formed during ozonation can be removed during the process to optimize the treatment, while the UV/O3 process can offer a relatively fast and clean process to degrade BHA and its associated intermediates.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Earth and Planetary Sciences Earth-Surface Processes
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