Ultrasonic destruction of 2-chlorophenol in aqueous solution

The decomposition of 2-chlorophenol in aqueous solution by ultrasonic waves was studied under various process variables including solution pH level, dissolved oxygen value and solution temperature to investigate the temporal behavior of this reaction. The phases of reaction, gaseous in the cavitation bubble and aqueous in the him, are found to be determined by the solution pH. The presence of dissolved oxygen in aqueous solution plays a major role on the mechanisms involved, pyrolysis or free radical attack, for the decomposition of 2-chlorophenol by sonolysis. The decomposition rate of 2-chlorophenol was found to be slightly reduced at higher solution temperature. A two-phase reaction scheme was proposed to explain the effect of process variables on the 2-chlorophenol decomposition by sonication. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.