Determination of Hydroperoxyl/superoxide Anion Radical (HO2·/O2·-) Concentration in the Decomposition of Ozone Using a Kinetic Method

A novel kinetic method for determination of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ in ozone decomposition in water is described. In this study, potential interferences of $O_3$ and the hydroxyl radicals, $^{\cdot}OH_{(O3)}$, are suppressed by $HSO_3{^-}/SO_3{^{2-}}$. $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ formed in ozone decomposition reduces $Fe^{3+}$-EDTA into $Fe^{2+}$-EDTA and subsequently the well-known Fenton-like (FL) reaction of $H_2O_2$ and $Fe^{2+}$-EDTA produces the hydroxyl radicals, $^{\cdot}OH_{(FL)}$. Benzoic acid (BA) scavenges $^{\cdot}OH_{(FL)}$ to produce OHBA, which are analyzed by fluorescence detection (${\lambda}_{ex}=320nm$ and ${\lambda}_{ex}=400nm$). The concentration of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ in ozone decomposition has been determined by the novel kinetic method using the experimentally determined half-life ($t_{1/2}$). The steady-state concentration of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ is proportional to the $O_3$ concentration at a given pH. However, the steady-state concentration of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ in ozone decomposition is inversely proportional to pH values. This pH dependence is due to significant loss of $O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ by $O_3$ at higher pH conditions. The steady-state concentrations of $HO_2{^{\cdot}}/O_2{^{{\cdot}-}}$ are in the range of $2.49({\pm}0.10){\times}10^{-9}M(pH=4.17){\sim}3.01({\pm}0.07){\times}10^{-10}M(pH=7.59)$ at $[O_3]_o=60{\mu}M$.