Decomposition of Trichloroethylene in Water by Using Aeration and Gas-phase Photoreaction

Abstract

The aeration of trichloroethylene in water to gas phase was tested with different aeration velocities. It was confirmed that the trichloroethylene was transferred from the water to the air in a fairly short time. The trichloroethylene transferred to the air was illuminated by the low pressure mercury lamp (253.7nm) in a quartz tube reactor. 96% of the trichloroethylene in the air was decomposed within 5 minutes by the photochemical reaction. The reaction products in the air and in the water was analyzed by means of GC/MS. Dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid were detected in the water as the decomposition products.