Date of Thesis

Spring 2026

Description

Wildfires, exacerbated by the increase in global temperatures, lead to the release of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (S/VOCs) which have been attributed to respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. S/VOCs can enter buildings and settle on surfaces forming organic films and partition into the gas phase. The use of cleaning and disinfection agents indoors can lead to multiphase reactions with S/VOCs and the use of one such agent, chlorinated bleach, has increased significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic to minimize the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The active ingredient in chlorinated bleach, sodium hypochlorite, can dissociate in solution to form protonated oxidants hypochlorous acid (HOCl(aq)) and molecular chlorine, Cl2 (aq). When exposed to air, both oxidants can vaporize and react with compounds in smoke residue to form chlorinated compounds. Analysis of products from catechol after bleach vapor exposure via Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), indicated the formation of chlorinated catechol monomers and dimers. Chlorinated catechol monomers formed, when computationally compared to known toxic chlorophenols, indicated high potential toxicity and all were observed in products from pinewood smoke oxidized by bleach vapor. The dichlorinated catechol dimer showed nine (9) consistently observed C-C and C-O coupled isomers, however, (chloro)catechol homo-coupling compounds were not observed in products from pinewood smoke oxidation. Matrix complexity was determined to negatively impact dimer formation potentially favoring hetero-coupling due to the number of different reactive phenols present, some of which can be oxidatively transformed to catechol when exposed to bleach vapor and selectively increase the concentration of  isomers of chlorinated catechol monomers.

Keywords

HOCl, Bleach vapor, S/VOCs, Catechol, Wildfires, Chlorinated compounds

Access Type

Masters Thesis (Bucknell Access Only)

Degree Type

Master of Science

Major

Chemistry

First Advisor

Douglas B. Collins

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Available for download on Tuesday, May 06, 2036

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