Proposed hydrodechlorination mechanism
Based on hydrodechlorination results a mechanism was postulated that calcium hydroxide and sulfur reacted to produce calcium polysulfide which in presence of water decomposed to provide a mixture of Ca(SH)2, Ca(OH)2 and Ca(SH)(OH). In presence of water Ca(SH)(OH) further produces CaS and CaSx. In the reaction mixture, the CaS and CaSx act as strong reducing agent to reduce chlorinated compounds to form CaSO4 or CaSO3. The oxidation state of sulfur was directly determined X-ray absorption near edge structure