Mapping out degradation products and reaction pathways

Photoreactor studies of gaseous pollutants

Objective:

The purpose of the project is to investigate and determine the degradation products and reaction pathways of gaseous pollutants, when radiated by the Xenon Excimer lamp.

Justification:

The experiments in the Xenon Excimer Radiation Air Purification (XERAP) Reactor are conducted in order to make sure that our indoor air cleaning solutions comply with the rules and standards for indoor air purification devices. In order to clarify whether or not the outcoming products are more dangerous than the ones we are treating for, we need to make these kinds of experiments. Furthermore, the importance of using a lamp that emits light at 172 nm has to be compared to the low-pressure Amalgam lamp, emitting light at 185 and 254 nm.
The XERAP Reactor has been built for the purpose of conducting these experiments, which are necessary for the development of our indoor air cleaning solutions.

Method:

The experiments are conducted as chamber experiments, to make the experiments as realistic as possible. The project is focusing on three different classes of the most common indoor air pollution gases such as toluene, pentane and formaldehyde.
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy is used for the quantification of the degradation products and reaction pathways.

Expected outcome:

We are aiming of getting a better understanding of, what is happening when the gaseous pollutants are radiated by the Xenon Excimer lamp. The experiments are to clarify what kind of products are produced, when we are using the Xenon Excimer lamp for air purification.

Tangible goals:

The project is going to result as the Master Thesis by Cecilie Litske Carstens.
We are going to compare the Xenon Excimer lamp with the Low-pressure Amalgam lamp to conclude which lamp is the most effective in degrading the gaseous pollutants. Furthermore, a comparison of the degradation products, produced from the different lamps, has to be made.