Emerging Technology Summary: Destruction of Organic Contaminants in Air UsingAdvanced Ultraviolet Flashlamps

摘要

The summary describes a new process for photo-oxidation of volatile organiccompounds (VOCs) in air using an advanced ultraviolet (UV) source, and a pulsed xenon flashlamp. The flashlamps have greater output at 200 to 250 nm than medium-pressure mercury lamps at the same power and, therefore, cause much more rapid direct photolysis of VOCs. The observation of quantum yields greater than unity indicate the involvement of chain reactions for trichloroethene (TCE), perchloroethene (PCE), 1,1-dichloroethylene (DCE), CHCl3, and CH2Cl2. TCE was examined more closely because of its widespread occurrence and very high destruction rate.