Photochemical degradation of crude oil: Comparison between direct irradiation, photocatalysis, and photocatalysis on zeolite

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 164; no. 1; pp. 32 - 38
• Main Authors: D’Auria, Maurizio, Emanuele, Lucia, Racioppi, Rocco, Velluzzi, Vincenzina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.05.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Catalysis; Catalytic reactions; Chemical engineering; Chemistry; Crude oil; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Kinetics; Petroleum - metabolism; Photocatalysis; Photochemistry - methods; Photodegradation; Pollution; Radiation; Reactors; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Zeolite; Zeolites - chemistry; Photodegradation; Zeolite; Crude oil; Photocatalysis; Alkene; Hydrocarbon; Pollutant behavior; Alkane; Electron transfer; Aromatic compound; Organic compounds; Photochemical degradation
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.07.111

Direct irradiation for 100 h of crude oil from Basilicata (Southern Italy) gave in the case of linear and branched alkanes a reduction of 9 and 5%, respectively. On the contrary, cyclic alkanes decreased for 54% while aromatic hydrocarbons showed a reduction of 37%. These results are in agreement with a prevalent electron transfer mechanism. Photocatalysis (100 h) gave extensive degradation of crude oil: linear alkanes were degraded for 98.66%, branched alkanes were reduced for 97.31%, cyclic alkanes for 96.04%, while aromatic compounds and alkenes were reduced for 99.54 and 98.38%, respectively. These results are in agreement with a prevalent hydrogen abstraction mechanism. When photocatalysis is performed in the presence of zeolite linear alkanes were degraded for 79.85%, branched alkanes were reduced for 45.38%, cyclic alkanes for 58.10%, while aromatic compounds were reduced for 91.85%. In this case, an increase of the relative amount of alkenes (42.05%) was observed.