Free Radical Mechanisms for the Treatment of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) via Advanced Oxidation/Reductive Processes in Aqueous Solutions

Free radical mechanisms for the treatment of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) through advanced oxidation/reductive processes (AOP) aqueous solutions was investigated. AOPs are defined as those technologies that utilize the hydroxyl radical (OH) for oxidation. The hydrated or solvated electron is the most powerful reductant in aqueous solution and readily reduces transition metal ions to their lower oxidation states. One of the major reaction byproducts of the radical initiated decomposition of MTBE in aqueous solution is TBF (tert-butyl formate). The reaction with oh with TBA is largely by H-abstraction of a carbon-bound hydrogen with a small contribution of H-abstraction at the OH-group. Acetone removal has been used to evaluate the efficiency of several AOPs. It was found that under oxidizing conditions, all of the AOPs were able to generate acetone, however, there were differences in the rate of removal and the completion of the destruction.