Kinetic modeling of the destruction of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)

For the past 14 years we have been investigating the application of the electron beam process for the destruction of organic and inorganic compounds in aqueous solution. The ultimate goal of these studies is to develop a technology that is widely applicable and cost effective. To bridge the gap between fundamental studies and real-world applications we interpret our experimental results using a kinetic computer model. The kinetic model could also be used for process optimization and a preliminary economic evaluation in the application of the process. In this paper we provide the results of a kinetic modeling study on the destruction of the gasoline oxygenate, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a recently identified groundwater pollutant