Abstract |
Fluorene is representative of a group of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that have been shown to exhibit oxidation in the absence of light when adsorbed on fly ash. The present study examines this process for fluorene in detail. Fluorene has been adsorbed on several different fly ashes and other adsorbents including activated carbon, molecular sieves, alumina, silica gel, and Ambersorb XE-340. In addition, the rate of decomposition of fluorene vapor-adsorbed on one of the fly ashes has been studied, and the effect of the amount of fluorene adsorbed on the fly ash upon its nonphotochemical oxidation has been determined. The significance of the results in terms both of atmospheric dispersal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and of sampling these compounds for chemical analysis is discussed. (Copyright (c) 1981 American Chemical Society.) |