Catalytic dechlorination of chlorophenols in water by palladium/iron

Three isomer chlorophenols. o-. m-. p-chlorophenol, were dechlorinated by p alladium,:iron powder in water through catalytic reduction. The dechlorinat ed reaction is believed to take place on the surface site of the catalyst i n a pseudo-first-order reaction. The reduction product for all the three is omers is phenol. The dechlorination rate increases with increase of bulk lo ading of palladium due to the increase of both the surface loading of palla dium and the total surface area. The molecular structure also has an effect on the dechlorination rate. For conditions with 0.048%; Pd:Fe. the rate co nstants are 0.0215, 0.0155 and 0.0112 min(-1) for o-, m-, p-chlorophenol. r espectively. Almost complete dechlorination is achieved within 5h. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All tights reserved.