CATALYTIC INCINERATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS PRESENT IN INDUSTRIAL-WASTE STREAMS

In the present study, the combustion of representative volatile organi c compounds (VOCs), such as benzene, n-butanol and ethylacetate over P t and Pd catalysts supported on various carriers has been investigated . Ethylacetate is the most difficult organic compound to oxidize. Pt a nd Pd catalysts supported on TiO2 doped with W6+ cations were found to be at least one order of magnitude more active than conventional Pt a nd Pd catalysts supported on gamma-Al2O3 carriers in oxidation of ethy lacetate, Generally, the oxidation of ethylacetate was observed to pro ceed via intermediate formation of ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetic ac id on the support. The presence of water vapor in the gas stream inhib its deep oxidation of VOCs, and the required increase in reaction temp erature in order to achieve the same destruction efficiency in the pre sence of water vapor was found to be in the order of 10-40 degrees C. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.