DEGRADATION OF AROMATICS BY ADVANCED OXIDATION PROCESSES IN WATER REMEDIATION - SOME BASIC CONSIDERATIONS

Most aromatic compounds are only slowly degraded by ozone, but the OH- radical, generated in the course of the interaction of ozone with suit able adjuvants and other procedures (Advanced Oxidation Processes, AOP ), reacts very rapidly with these compounds, giving rise to hydroxycyc lohexadienyl-type radicals. These react reversibly with oxygen, The co rresponding peroxyl radicals show a complex chemistry: HO2.-eliminatio n competes with endoperoxide formation and subsequent ring fragmentati on reactions. Kinetic parameters for benzene and a number of benzene d erivatives as well as the product spectrum found for the benzene syste m are given. Some aspects of the oxidation of phenols are also discuss ed. Various AOPs are evaluated in the light of these results.