Rate constants of dichloride radical anion reactions with molecules of environmental interest in aqueous solution: a review

Natural waters, water droplets in the air at coastal regions and wastewaters usually contain chloride ions (Cl(-)) in relatively high concentrations in the milimolar range. In the reactions of highly oxidizing radicals (e.g., (•)OH, (•)NO(3), or SO(4)(•-)) in the nature or during wastewater treatment in advanced oxidation processes the chloride ions easily transform to chlorine containing radicals, such as Cl(•), Cl(2)(•-), and ClO(•). This transformation basically affects the degradation of organic molecules. In this review about 400 rate constants of the dichloride radical anion (Cl(2)(•-)) with about 300 organic molecules is discussed together with the reaction mechanisms. The reactions with phenols, anilines, sulfur compounds (with sulfur atom in lower oxidation state), and molecules with conjugated electron systems are suggested to take place with electron transfer mechanism. The rate constant is high (10(7)–10(9) M(-1) s(-1)) when the reduction potential the one-electron oxidized species/molecule couple is well below that of the Cl(2)(•-)/2Cl(-) couple. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-021-14453-w.