Adaptation of the Design of a Gas Phase Photoreactor for the Degradation of BTX (benzene, toluene, xilene)

ABSTRACT: During the last two decades, the photocatalytic degradation for the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) has gained force since these compounds represents an environmental risk and a public health problem. A particular group of these VOCs: the BTEX (benzene-toluene-ethylbezene-xylene), are often used as a solvent in paints and it is also considerably dangerous on service stations and oil companies. On that way, it is a group of gases that can be present in both environments, indoor and/or outdoor. The fumes which are produced are highly polluting and persistent. To determine the degradation of those gases, a prototype of a packed bed photoreactor with UV lamps and TiO2 (1%p/p) as catalyst was used. The catalyst is supported on polyester granules. Conversion of each contaminant were determined and the mixture as well. The research found conversions between 72% and 99% giving better results for the treatment of the mixture where all conversions achieved were above 94% for a residence time of 160 min. It was found that an increment in the initial concentration of pollutant can improve the final conversion for components such as ethylbenzene. Finally, kinetic constants were determined for pollutants degradation which ranged between 0.005 and 0.03 min-1