International Journal of Photoenergy
Volume 2 (2000), Issue 2, Pages 67-80
doi:10.1155/S1110662X00000106
Photocatalytic degradation of aqueous tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane, and their mixture with TiO2
1Department of Chemistry, Biology and Chemical Engineering, Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
2Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
Abstract
Photocatalytic degradation of tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane, and their mixture in a slurry photoreactor
was studied. Using both GC/MS and ion chromatography (IC) methods, possible intermediates were
detected and the reaction mechanism pathways for both compounds were proposed. Kinetic models were
developed and the kinetic parameters were estimated using a statistical method of non-linear parameter estimation
in which all experimental data were utilized. It was shown that tetrahydrofuran was disappeared via
direct oxidation as well as hydroxyl radical attack. A modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood described the degradation
behavior of tetrahydrofuran and the binary system. 1,4-Dioxane obeyed a simple Langmuir-Hinshelwood
kinetic form in the single compound system.