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Pathway of anthracene modification under simulated solar radiation
A Mallakin1, D G Dixon, B M Greenberg
1Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Ont., Canada.
Chemosphere
|May 2, 2000
Summary
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) rapidly transform in sunlight through oxidation, forming more toxic compounds. This study details the complex photomodification pathway of anthracene, revealing its transformation into various oxidative products in aquatic environments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) undergo structural photomodification upon sunlight exposure, primarily through oxidation.
- PAH photomodification products can exhibit higher toxicity than their parent compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the photomodification pathway of anthracene (ANT), a representative PAH.
- To identify and characterize the photoproducts formed from ANT irradiation under simulated solar radiation (SSR).
Main Methods:
- Irradiation of ANT in aqueous solution using simulated solar radiation (SSR) at 100 micromol m(-2) s(-1).
- Identification of photoproducts using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
- Kinetic analysis of ANT photooxidation and product formation.
Main Results:
- After 9 hours of SSR exposure, over 20 photoproducts were detected, including anthraquinones, benzoic acids, benzaldehydes, and phenols.
- Anthraquinones were identified as intermediates undergoing further photooxidation.
- The photooxidation of ANT followed pseudo first-order kinetics with a half-life of 2 hours.
Conclusions:
- The photomodification of ANT is an oxidative process generating a complex mixture of compounds.
- A probable photomodification pathway for ANT was deduced from product formation kinetics.
- PAH photooxidation products likely exist as complex, dynamic mixtures in contaminated aquatic environments.