Low temperature aqueous phase heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of dis
solved organic compounds is a potential means for remediation of conta
minated ground and surface waters, industrial effluents, and other was
tewater streams. The capability for operation at substantially milder
conditions of temperature and pressure, in comparison to those require
d for supercritical water oxidation and closely related wet air oxidat
ion processes, is made possible through the use of an extremely active
bi-metallic noble metal catalyst. Phenol degradation studies were con
ducted using continuous flow packed bed microreactors configured to mi
nimize the deviation from plug flow. Reaction rate constants for the d
isappearance of phenol were determined using a pseudo first order plug
flow kinetic model over the temperature range between 35-65 degrees C
. These data were used to derive Arrhenius activation energies and pre
-exponential factors. Reactor operating conditions required for minera
lization of phenol have been determined. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier S
cience Ltd