Experimental research of photocatalytical oxidation (PCO) of aqueous solutions of de-icing
agents (ethylene glycol and ethylene glycol monoethyl ether) and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was undertaken.
These chemicals are water-soluble components of jet and motor fuels accidentally disposed to
the environment. Titanium dioxide (Degussa P25) under near-UV irradiation was selected as a photocatalyst.
A slightly acidic medium was preferable for the process efficiency for MTBE, whereas a neutral medium
was beneficial for de-icing agents and jet fuel aqueous extracts. TiO2 suspension fractional composition was found to be dependent on pH and the presence of organic admixtures: the minimum size of TiO2 particles at their maximum uniformity was established in an acidic medium, where the efficiency of PCO of
de-icing agents was the poorest. On the other hand, neutral and slightly acidic media, beneficial for PCO efficiency,
were favourable for particle agglomeration, which indicates a minimal role for photocatalyst particle
size in PCO efficiency. PCO efficiency increased with increasing MTBE and icing inhibitor concentration. The
biodegradability of aqueous solutions of oxygenated additives increased as PCO proceeded. The influence
of mineral additives—sulphate, calcium, ferric and manganese ions—on the process efficiency was found to
be complex. Special attention was paid to energy-saving PCO with a photocatalyst attached to buoyant glass
micro-spheres and reduced intensity of stirring of the slurry.
