Catalytic wet oxidation of industrial waste water

Sustainable technologies in the chemical industry need to incorporate clean ing processes of effluents and recycling media. Substituted aromatics prese nt in high concentration in industrial waste waters, originating mainly fro m pharmaceutical and dye industries are usually refractory and/or toxic for a biologically active sludge. A catalytic wet oxidation of water seems to be an economic alternative to an incineration process. The key factors of t he possible wet oxidation are discussed and a case study of two different i ndustrial problems (water with sulphonaphthol or acrylic acid) is presented . The efficiency of a wet oxidation system depends on reaction conditions a nd it is possible to improve it by initiation with hydrogen peroxide. The t reatment capacity, strong corrosive conditions and a utilization of reactio n heat are necessary to account for design purposes.