KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF THE AQUEOUS PHASE OXIDATION OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE BY OXYGEN: CATALYZED BY HYDROQUINONE

摘要

Hydroquinone, which is a trace atmospheric constituent, catalyzes the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide in aqueous phase strongly. The reaction was followed by measuring the disappearance of oxygen with the help of DO meter in a reactor. The reaction obeys the kinetics rate law: -d[O2]/dt = k2K1K3K4[Mn+][O2][H2Q][S][H+ ] /{ [H+ ] 2 + K1[H+ ] + K1K2 } This work shows hydroquinone to be a strong catalyst for the oxidation of H2S by O2 and therefore it will catalyze the oxidation of aqueous H2S into H2SO4 and contribute the acidification of atmospheric water.