title: Degradation of compounds containing carbon atoms by photooxidation in the presence of water.
abstract: It was shown that all compounds containing carbon atoms, tested in this study, were degraded by the coincident influence of light, oxygen (air), and water. By this photooxidation, saturated as well as unsaturated aliphatic and aromatic compounds, monomeric, polymeric and high polymeric compounds were degraded and the carbon atoms of these compounds as well as carbon itself in form of amorphous carbon or diamond, were converted to carbon dioxide, if dispersed in water or together with water as very small solid, liquid, or gaseous particles. As such conditions occur extensively in nature, it was concluded that this degradation of organic substances is of great importance in nature, in addition to microbial and enzymatic degradation. This photooxidation further represents a possibility for pollution control to prevent damage to environment by degrading organic substances which are either slightly soluble or practically insoluble in water, as well as compounds which will not be destroyed by microbial and enzymatic degradation.
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon; D002482:Cellulose; D006207:Half-Life; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D007306:Insecticides; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010777:Photochemistry; D011108:Polymers; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D007306:Insecticides; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon; D002482:Cellulose