Efficiency of advanced oxidation and hydroxyl technology in methyl terciary - butyl ether (MTBE)

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 is 11.5.