If gasoline is spilled on soil it percolates down into the soil where it is meta

Question

If gasoline is spilled on soil it percolates down into the soil where it is metabolized by microorganisms using the “best” available electron acceptor present. "Using the following information write balanced redox reactions." Try to think happy thoughts as you toil through these they are not that easy (honestly half this question is just figuring out what my teacher even means. balance the equations below for a redox reaction).

a. CO2/C6H6 30e-; SO42-/H2S 8e-; Show your working

b. CO2/C6H6 30e-; NO3-/NO2- 2e-; Show your working

Explanation / Answer

(a)

(i) Seperate oxidation half and reduction half reactions,

CO2 ----------> C6H6    Reduction half reaction (gaining of electrons)

H2S --------> SO42-       Oxidation half reaction (losing of electrons)

(ii) Balance all atoms other than O and H

6 CO2 ----------> C6H6

H2S -------->   SO42-

(iii) To balance oxygens in acidic medium add H2O molecules,

6 CO2 ----------> C6H6 + 12 H2O

H2S + 4 H2O --------> SO42-

(iv) To balance hydrogens in acidic medium add H+ ions.

6 CO2 + 30 H+ ----------> C6H6 + 12 H2O

H2S + 4 H2O --------> SO42- + 10 H+

(v) To balance charges add electrons

6 CO2 + 30 H+ + 30 e ----------> C6H6 + 12 H2O

H2S + 4 H2O --------> SO42- + 10 H+ + 8 e

(vi) To equalise electrons in both half reaction multiply with suitable numbers

24 CO2 + 120 H+ + 120 e ----------> 4 C6H6 + 48 H2O

15 H2S + 60 H2O --------> 15 SO42- + 150 H+ + 120 e

(vii) Add both half reactions to get balanced equation.

24 CO2 +15 H2S + 12 H2O --------> 4 C6H6 + 15 SO42- + 30 H+

This is the balanced equation.

Follow the similar procedure to balanced (b)

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