I am doing a project on water treatment and the oxidation of organics in water using AOP (i.e. the hydroxyl radicals)
and I need someone (hopeful a few) to check this and tell me if its right.
[what happens in the ROOH +R*=>=>CO2+H20]
1. R + OH* => R* +H2O
2. R* +O2 => ROO*
3. ROO* + RH => ROOH + R*
4. ROOH => CO2 + H2O
Using R = CH3-CH3
R* = CH3-CH2*
ROO* = CH3-CH2-O-O*
ROOH = CH3 -CH2-O-OH
Therefore ROOH => CO2 & H2O
is CH3-C(H2)-O-OH + O2 => CH3* + CO2 + H2O + OH*
(So the CH3* + 2x O2 => CO2 + H2O + OH*)
So in effect R is now one C less with the carbon chain being continually reduced, as at the end of each cycle a OH* is available to repeat the process.
This is a chain reaction as long as enough O2 is present to sustain the reaction.