| Abstract
| - The kinetics and mechanism of the sonolytic degradationof methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) have been investigatedat an ultrasonic frequency of 205 kHz and power of 200 WL-1. The observed first-order degradation rate constantfor the loss of MTBE increased from 4.1 × 10-4 s-1 to 8.5× 10-4 s-1 as the concentration of MTBE decreasedfrom 1.0 to 0.01 mM. In the presence of O3, the sonolyticrate of destruction of MTBE was accelerated substantially.The rate of MTBE sonolysis with ozone was enhanced bya factor of 1.5−3.9 depending on the initial concentrationof MTBE. tert-Butyl formate, tert-butyl alcohol, methyl acetate,and acetone were found to be the primary intermediatesand byproducts of the degradation reaction with yields of 8,5, 3, and 12%, respectively. A reaction mechanisminvolving three parallel pathways that include the directpyrolytic decomposition of MTBE, the direct reaction of MTBEwith ozone, and the reaction of MTBE with hydroxylradical is proposed.
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