Radiation induced degradation of water pollutants

Radiation chemical oxidation of hydroxybenzaldehydes, cresols and chlorotoluenes have been studied using both pulse and steady-state radiolysis techniques. The rates of the reaction of ·OH were found to be high. Dehydration leading to the formation of the phenoxyl radical was observed from the OH adducts of m-hydroxybenzaldehyde. The rates of oxygen addition to the OH adducts of o-, m- and p-chlorotoluenes and cresols are high. The relatively high stability constants of peroxyl radicals formed with cresols than with chlorotoluenes suggest that the product forming reaction competes effectively with the reverse reaction in cresols. (author)