Phenol oxidation in supercritical water: Formation of dibenzofuran, dibenzo-p-dioxin, and related compounds
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (United States)
Supercritical water is a good medium for the complete oxidation of organic compounds, and this chemistry forms the basis for a novel technology currently being advanced for the ultimate destruction of hazardous wastes. Above its critical point ({Tc} = 374 C, P{sub c} = 218 atm), water has a high solubility for both organics and oxygen, so a single phase containing a homogeneous mixture can exist at reaction conditions. This elimination of potential interphase transport limitations coupled with the moderately high operating temperatures and pressures leads to rapid oxidation rates. Much of the previous research dealing with oxidation in supercritical water has been devoted to either demonstrating the technology or measuring the disappearance kinetics for relatively simple compounds. Only very limited work, however, has been devoted to identifying and quantifying the reaction products from the supercritical water oxidation of organic compounds. Such research is clearly important from an environmental viewpoint, especially when one considers that incineration, another thermal oxidation process, can produce undesired, high molecular weight condensation products such as dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins from phenols. The authors have undertaken and completed this study to determine whether the oxidation of phenol, a representative organic pollutant, in near- and supercritical water can lead to the formation of similar high molecular weight products.
- OSTI ID:
- 5455842
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States) Vol. 25:8; ISSN ESTHA; ISSN 0013-936X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540250* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (1990-)
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DATA
DIOXIN
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FURANS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LAND RECLAMATION
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
MATERIALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOL
PHENOLS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUBILITY
SUPERCRITICAL STATE
SYNTHESIS
WATER