Degradation of p-nitrotoluene by O3/H2O2 process and oxidation mechanism

The degradation of p-nitrotoluene by O3/H2O2 process in a bubble contact column was investigated. Effects of the molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide to ozone,pH value and t-butanol on the oxidation process were discussed. It was found that the proper H2O2/O3 molar ratio for the degradation of p-nitrotoluene was around 0.6, different pH values and the presence of t-butanol highly influenced the removal efficiency of p-nitrotoluene. 5-methyl-2-nitrophenol, 2-methyl-5-nitrophenol, (4-nitrophenyl) methanol, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-nitro phenol, acetic acid, 2-methylpropane diacid and 2-(hydroxylmethyl)propane diacid were identified as degradation intermediates and products through GC-MS. Radical reaction mechanism and degradation pathway were proposed based on the results of experiments. It is deduced that the benzene ring of p-nitrotoluene can be only destroyed by hydroxyl radicals through a polyhydroxy intermediate pathway. Then unstable polyhydroxy intermediates can be oxidized to different acids with low molecular weight rapidly.