An Advanced Kinetic Method for HO2·/O2-· Determination by Using Terephthalate in the Aqueous Solution

Hydroperoxyl radical/superoxide anion radical ($HO_2{\cdot}/O_2^-{\cdot}$, $pK_a$=4.8) as an intermediate is of considerable importance in oxidation processes. Hence, the method of detecting $HO_2{\cdot}/O_2^-{\cdot}$ with high sensitivity is necessary to be developed. To achieve this objective, this study newly employed terephthalate (TA) as a probe for the measurement of $HO_2{\cdot}/O_2^-{\cdot}$ in the kinetic method presented in our previous study. This method was based on the hydroxylation of TA to produce mainly hydroxyterephthalic acid or hydroxyterephthalate (OHTA), which was analyzed by fluorescence detection (${\lambda}_{ex}$=315nm, ${\lambda}_{ex}$=425nm). The life-time of $HO_2{\cdot}/O_2^-{\cdot}$ and its concentration formed from the photolysis technique of $H_2O_2$ were reported in this study. At range of pH 2-10, the life-time of $HO_2{\cdot}/O_2^-{\cdot}$ was 51-422 sec. In particular, an increase in the life-time with pH was observed. The sensitivities of the kinetic method by using TA were always higher with 1.7-2.5 times at pH 8.0 than those by using benzoic acid. From these results, this study can contribute to understanding the basic functions of $HO_2{\cdot}/O_2^-{\cdot}$ in oxidation processes.