LOW-TEMPERATURE AQUEOUS-PHASE CATALYTIC-OXIDATION OF PHENOL

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