Chlorine atom initiated reactions of selected tropospheric halocarbons — Kinetic and product studies

Halogens are suggested as important atmospheric oxidants in the marine boundary layer. The room-temperature kinetics of the chlorine-initiated reactions of three biogenic brominated hydrocarbons and four anthropogenic chlorinated ethenes was investigated by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC–FID) at a pressure of 1 atm (1 atm = 101.325 kPa) in air, using the relative rate technique. The rate constants (× 1013 cm3 molecule–1 s–1) for CH2Br2, CHBr2Cl, and CHBr3 reactions at 298 ± 2 K were found to be 4.25 ± 0.65, 2.03 ± 0.31, and 2.81 ± 0.41, respectively, using methane as a reference compound. Room temperature rate constants (±1011 cm3 molecule–1 s–1) obtained for 1,1-dichloroethene, cis-dichloroethene, trans-dichloroethene, and trichloroethene using ethene as a reference are 13.4 ± 3.3, 9.1 ± 2.3, 7.4 ± 1.8, and 7.7 ± 1.9, respectively. The rate constants of chlorine-atom reactions with various hydrocarbons obtained in this work and taken from literature were correlated with corresponding rate constants of the OH radical available in the literature. The temperature dependences for the reactions of chlorine atoms with chlorinated ethenes were studied within the 298–358 K range. The corresponding Arrhenius expressions for the rate constants are (cm3 molecule–1 s–1): ln k = (–25.26 ± 0.17) – (758 ± 55)/T for 1,1-dichloroethene, ln k = (–25.79 ± 0.10) – (799 ± 34)/T for cis-dichloroethene, ln k = (–26.74 ± 0.09) – (1018 ± 28)/T for trans-dichloroethene, and ln k = (–26.10 ± 0.26) – (846 ± 83)/T for trichloroethene. In addition, product studies for the chlorine-initiated gas phase oxidation reactions of CHBr3 and CHBr2Cl were performed using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC–MS). The only identified product for the reaction of CHBr3 with Cl reaction was COBr2, while for the CHBr2Cl + Cl reaction, COBrCl and COCl2 were observed, indicating the possibility of halogen atom release. The atmospheric implications of the results obtained are discussed.Key words: tropospheric reactions, kinetics, chlorine atoms, chlorinated hydrocarbons, brominated hydrocarbons.

Improvement of thermal hydrolysis rate of dichloroacetic acid using alcohol

Dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) is produced during the oxidation of trichloroethylene. It is also produced in drinking water treatment as a disinfection by-product. DCAA is a problem material, because of its toxicity. The objective of this research is to find the final products and the reaction pathway of the DCAA decomposition by hydrolysis, and to increase the hydrolysis rate. The removal of both chlorine atoms in DCAA structure was achieved with hydrolysis at around 75 degrees C, and the final products were oxalic acid and glycolic acid. The reaction pathway was the production of oxalic acid and glycolic acid from two glyoxylic acid molecules by Cannizzaro reaction after the glyoxylic acid production from dechlorination of DCAA with hydrolysis. The hydrolysis rate of DCAA was increased with the use of 90% ethanol solution as solvent. The activation energy of DCAA was about 80 kJ/mol in it, while it was around 105 kJ/mol in water.