Influence of nitric acid on the helium ion radiolysis of aqueous butanal oxime solutions

Samples of butanal oxime in aqueous nitric acid solutions have been irradiated with the helium ion (⁴He²⁺) beam of the CEMHTI (Orleans, France) cyclotron. The consumption yield of butanal oxime has been measured by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Gaseous products (mainly H₂ and N₂O) have also been monitored by micro-gas chromatography. Yields of liquid phase products (hydrogen peroxide and nitrous acid) have been determined by colorimetric methods. The influence of nitric acid on the radiation chemical behavior of butanal oxime depends on the nitric acid concentration. For a low concentration (≤0.5 mol L^-1) butanal oxime is protected by the nitrate ions, which can efficiently scavenge the water radiolysis radicals. For higher concentrations, nitrous acid can accumulate in the medium, therefore leading to a strong increase of the butanal oxime degradation. The associated mechanism is an autocatalytic oxidation of butanal oxime by HNO₂. (authors)