Radiolytic Degradation of Ethylene Glycol and Glycerol in Aqueous Solutions

The influence of absorbed dose (up to 90 kGy) and the initial concentrations of ethylene glycol and glycerol (from 30 to 250 mg/L) on their degradation in aqueous solutions under a 3-MeV electron beam has been studied. Aeration of the solutions during irradiation decreased the yield of degradation. In the absence of aeration, the observed initial yields of degradation were about 0.23 µmol/J for ethylene glycol and about 0.14 µmol/J for glycerol. Degradation products formed in aqueous solutions are more resistant to ionizing radiation compared to the parent alcohols. A simultaneous reduction in alcohol concentration and chemical oxygen demand (COD) to standard values was achieved in solutions with an initial concentration of 30–40 mg/L at a dose of no higher than 2–3 kGy.