| Alternative title | Photodegradation of bis(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)amine (H2BTA), a high nitrogen content tetrazole-based energetic compound in water |
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| Download | - View author's version: Photodegradation of bis(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)amine (H₂BTA), a high nitrogen content tetrazole-based energetic compound in water (PDF, 429 KiB)
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| DOI | Resolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125008 |
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| Author | Search for: Halasz, Annamaria1; Search for: Hawari, Jalal; Search for: Perreault, Nancy N.1 |
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| Affiliation | - National Research Council of Canada. Energy, Mining and Environment
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| Format | Text, Article |
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| Subject | H₂BTA; photolysis; simulated sunlight; 254 nm; pH effect; environmental fate |
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| Abstract | Tetrazoles have wide industrial applications, notably in the pharmaceutical industry. Tetrazole derivatives such as bis(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)amine (H₂BTA) have recently been considered by the defense industry as high nitrogen composite propellants. Photodegradation studies under solar simulating conditions showed that H₂BTA was partially degraded in water, while it was completely degraded under UV light at 254 nm. When H₂BTA (0.35 mM) was irradiated with simulated sunlight at pH 3.65, there was a 1-day lag phase before the chemical started to degrade, reaching 43.5% degradation after 7 d. However, when pH increased to 5.76, it degraded without lag phase, suggesting that an HBTA⁻ anion was involved in the initial degradation of the chemical. 5-Aminotetrazole (5-AT) was identified as a final degradation product and N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)formamide(T(5 yl)FA) and 1H-tetrazol-5-ylcarbamic acid (T(5 yl)CA) as intermediate products. At λ = 254 nm, H₂BTA disappeared rapidly, resulting in the loss of 94% after 65 min. 5-AT was detected together with several transient products including N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)carbamohydrazonic acid (T(5 yl)CHA) and T(5 yl)FA. Kinetic studies and products analysis revealed that H₂BTA photodegraded via two initial routes. One route (a) marked by the initial loss of HN₃ and another (b) marked by the initial loss of N₂. Route a) was characteristics for irradiation with simulated sunlight; however, routes a) and b) proceeded simultaneously under UV light. 5-AT eventually degraded to presumably give N₂ and/or HN₃ under UV light. Understanding the photodegradation pathway of H₂BTA under simulated sunlight can help in providing the basis for natural attenuation assessment of the chemical in contaminated aquatic environments. |
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| Publication date | 2019-09-30 |
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| Publisher | Elsevier |
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| In | |
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| Related publication | |
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| Language | English |
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| Peer reviewed | Yes |
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| NRC number | NRC-EME-56009 |
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| Export citation | Export as RIS |
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| Report a correction | Report a correction (opens in a new tab) |
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| Record identifier | 5ef0c690-6107-4b78-b8cd-a09616766688 |
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| Record created | 2019-12-04 |
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| Record modified | 2020-06-26 |
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