CATALYTIC WET OXIDATIONS OF PHENOL-CONTAMINATED AND P-CHLOROPHENOL-CONTAMINATED WATERS

The rate constant and activation energy of liquid-phase oxidation, cat alyzed by CuSO4 . 5H(2)O, MnO2, and Co2O3, were found for synthesized wastewaters containing 1000 mg dm(-3) phenol and 1500 mg dm(-3) p-chlo rophenol, respectively. Among the catalysts, CuSO4 . 5H(2)O was demons trated to be the most effective in reducing the concentration of pheno ls in wastewaters. The effects of oxygen flow rates and temperatures o n the oxidation efficiency were also discussed. The analysis of total organic carbon on the end products after oxidations showed that the li quid phase contained only 10% of intermediate products. Oxidation at d ifferent pH values suggested that phenols could be favourably destroye d in an alkaline medium.