Photodecomposition of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide in aqueous solutions in presence of hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

It is established that the cationic surfactant (dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, DTAB) efficiently decomposes in an aqueous solution in the presence of H2O2 upon exposure to UV radiation. The presence of bicarbonate ions decreases the rate of photodecomposition, which is due to the acceptance of OH radicals generated in the photochemical reaction. The rate constant of OH radicals and DTAB reaction equals ∼109 L mol−1 s−1. The kinetics of DTAB decomposition are described by the first-order reaction equation, and the effective rate constant is proportional to the H2O2 content in the solution.