Electron transfer sensitized photodechlorination of surfactant solubilized PCB 138.

Sensitized photodechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyl, PCB 138, in three different surfactant solutions was studied. The sensitizer of choice was leuco-methylene blue, which was produced in situ from methylene blue using either triethylamine or sodium borohydride. Three types of surfactants, anionic (SDS), neutral (TWEEN 80), and cationic (CTAB) at different concentrations were investigated. The neutral and cationic surfactants were found to be more effective than anionic. In each case the surfactant concentration was found to play a significant role in the rate of dechlorination. For different sensitized systems (triethylamine or sodium borohydride), a different product distribution and a different pathway of dechlorination was observed.