Conversion characteristics and mechanism analysis of gaseous dichloromethane degraded by a VUV light in different reaction media

The photodegradation of gaseous dichloromethane (DCM) by a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light in a spiral reactor was investigated with different reaction media and initial concentrations. Through the combination of direct photolysis, O₃ oxidation and HO. oxidation, DCM was ultimately mineralized into inorganic compounds (such as HCl, CO₂, H₂O, etc.) in the air with relative humidity (RH) of 75%-85%. During the photodegradation process, some small organic acids (including formic acid, acetic acid) were also detected and the intermediates were more soluble than DCM, providing a possibility for its combination with subsequent biodegradation. Based on the detected intermediates and the confirmed radicals, a photodegradation pathway of DCM by VUV was proposed. With RH 75%-80% air as the reaction medium, the DCM removal followed the second-order kinetic model at inlet concentration of 100-1000 mg/m³. Kinetic analysis showed that the reaction media affected the kinetic constants of DCM conversion by a large extent, and RH 80% air could cause a much lower half-life for its conversion. Such results supported the possibility that VUV photodegradation could be used not only for the mineralization of DCM but also as a pretreatment before biodegradation.