A chemical sensor (chemiresistor) was constructed from a xenon light bulb by coating it with a 3-D zinc oxide coated silica nanospring mat, where the xenon light bulb serves as the sensor heater. The sensor response to toluene as a function of xenon light bulb sensor temperature (TLB) and vapor temperature (TV) was observed and analyzed. The optimum operational parameters in terms of TLB and TV...

A dielectric barrier discharge reactor with inner electrode modified with metal oxides of Ti, Mn and Co has been designed and tested for the oxidation of diluted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of different nature like toluene, isopropanol and trichloroethylene. It has been observed that at a fixed concentration of VOC, total oxidation of isopropanol is achieved at lower specific input energy...

An important step in the initial oxidation of hydrocarbons at low to intermediate temperatures is the abstraction of H by hydroperoxyl radical (HO(2)). In this study, we calculate energy profiles for the sequence: reactant + HO(2) → [complex of reactants] → transition state → [complex of products] → product + H(2)O(2) for methanol, ethenol (i.e., C(2)H(3)OH), acetaldehyde, toluene, and phenol. ...

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is well-known to have adverse effects on air quality and human health. However, the dynamic mechanisms occurring during SOA formation and evolution are poorly understood. The time-resolved SOA composition formed during the photo-oxidation of three aromatic compounds, methyl chavicol, toluene and 4-methyl catechol, were investigated at the European Photoreactor. S...

A toluene-degrading sulfate-reducing bacterium, strain Tol2, was isolated from marine sediment under strictly anoxic conditions. Toluene was toxic if applied directly to the medium at concentrations higher than 0.5 mM. To provide toluene continuously at a nontoxic concentration, it was supplied in an inert hydrophobic carrier phase. The isolate had oval, sometimes motile cells (1.2 to 1.4 by 1....

Anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (AVOC) often dominate the urban atmosphere and consist to a large degree of aromatic hydrocarbons (ArHC), such as benzene, toluene, xylenes, and trimethylbenzenes, e.g. from handling and combustion of fuels. These compounds are important precursors for the formation of secondary organic aerosol. Here we show that oxidation of aromatics with OH leads to a...

Wild-type toluene 4-monooxygenase (T4MO) of Pseudomonas mendocina KR1 oxidizes toluene to p-cresol (96%) and oxidizes benzene sequentially to phenol, to catechol, and to 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene. In this study T4MO was found to oxidize o-cresol to 3-methylcatechol (91%) and methylhydroquinone (9%), to oxidize m-cresol and p-cresol to 4-methylcatechol (100%), and to oxidize o-methoxyphenol to 4-m...