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Environmental Science/styrene
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Question
Hi Mr. Russell,
I searching chemical or biological degradation characteristics of styrene. This is colourless to yellow oily liquid material. Do you know how we can degrade styrene by using chemical, physico-chemical or biological methods? Thank you.
The short answer is that the easiest way to degrade styrene is oxidation. It burns readily and has a very high BTU value. So Oxidation is one method of destroying it. I believe that the BTU value is well above that of coal. Another is co-solubilizing it in other solvents: Because its' structure is a benzene ring and a half, it polymerizes readily, and it's soluble in any number of solvents. It also degrades readily with heat above 300 F.
Finally: When I want to check the biodegradation for a compound I usually use the U Minn database. The link follows, preset to styrene:
http://umbbd.msi.umn.edu/servlets/search?search-type=compound-by-name&search-str...
Hope that helps.
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Answers by Expert:
David L. Russell, PE
Expertise
I`m a Chemical,Civil and Environmental Engineer and have a number of projects in all phases of the environment. I have worked in the chemical industry and am active in professional societies, and am currently on an industrial wastes committee for the Water Environment Federation, and have taught courses in remediation in the US and abroad. I have written one book on Remediation of petroleum Contaminated Sites, and have a second book on PRACTICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT to be published by John Wiley in September, 2006. I've also written over 30 articles on various elements of environmental problems and cleanup. Most Recently, I have addressed a NATO Scientific and Techical Conference on Ecoterrorism, and have worked with the same group on remediation of sites contaminated with Chemical Warfare Agent materials and othe materials as well. . I can answer q`s about Chemical and Environmental Engineering, land development, air pollution, water pollution, soil and water cleanup, combustion, international environmental problems, industrial processes chemical processes. Civil and Environmental and Chemical Engineering. Overall, I have over 35 years of experience in this area. Note: I do not answer homework questions
Experience
I love work in the third world and developing areas because it is challenging and one can get a sense of accomplishment.
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