ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION OF REFRACTORY ORGANICS

MANY ORGANIC POLLUTANTS AND BIOLOGICAL ORGANISMS ARE NOT EFFECTIVELY REMOVED BY BIOLOGICAL OXIDATION IN MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT FACILITIES OR IN NATURAL WATER COURSES. THESE REFRACTORY ORGANICS, AFTER CHLORINATION, MAY FORM NOXIOUS CHLORINATED ORGANICS AND CAUSE GENERAL DETERIORATIONOF THE WATER SUPPLY. THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE FEASIBILITY OF ADSORBING AND ELECTROCHEMICALLY OXIDIZING THESE REFRACTORY ORGANICS JUST PRIOR TO THE CHLORINATION STEP IN TREATMENT TRAINS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH INVESTIGATES THE CONTINUOUS ELECTROOXIDATION OF A MODEL REFRACTORY ORGANIC (PHENOL) IN A NOVEL, COMPACT, ELECTROCHEMICAL, TRICKLE BED REACTOR. A MIXED ELECTROCATALYST IS PROPOSED WHICH MAY PROVE VERY EFFECTIVE FOR CATALYZING ELECTROOXIDATION OF A BROAD SPECTRUM OF REFRACTORY ORGANICS. SOME BASIC RESEARCH INTO REACTION MECHANISM IS FOLLOWED BY A CONCEPT FEASIBILITY DEMONSTRATION.