Radiolysis of phenol in aqueous solutions

The present work aimed at the investigation of the possibilities of using radiation oxidation of phenol for its removal from waste waters. The degree of phenol destruction was studied in dependence on the dose rate (0.4 to 2.1 W/kg) and on the radiation dose absorbed (0 to 10 J/kg) at different phenol concentrations (50 to 500 g/m3). Using model solutions, it was found that practically usable degrees of destruction depend on the presence of oxygen in the irradiated solutions. After oxygen exhausting, phenol concentration in the solution only decreases insignificantly with increasing doses. (author)