Title: Catalytic wet oxidation of ferulic acid

Authors: Harit Jani, Suresh K. Bhargava, James Tardio, Deepak B. Akolekar, Manh Hoang

Addresses: School of Applied Science (Applied Chemistry), Science, Engineering and Technology Portfolio, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia. ' School of Applied Science (Applied Chemistry), Science, Engineering and Technology Portfolio, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia. ' School of Applied Science (Applied Chemistry), Science, Engineering and Technology Portfolio, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia. ' School of Applied Science (Applied Chemistry), Science, Engineering and Technology Portfolio, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia. ' CSIRO Manufacturing and Material Technology, Private Bag 33, Clayton South MDC, Victoria 3169, Australia

Abstract: Catalytic Wet Oxidation (CWO) of aqueous ferulic acid (a lignin model compound) was carried out under mild conditions (100–150°C, ~300 kPa PO2). Significant removal of ferulic acid (in terms of Total Organic Carbon (TOC)) (81% at 100°C and 95% at 150°C after 2 hr) was obtained using a CuNiCe/Al2O3 catalyst. A considerable portion of this TOC was removed during the heat-up period prior to oxygen addition (40% at 100°C and 62% at 150°C). This was most likely due to oxidation of organics by the catalysts| lattice oxygen, catalytic decarboxylation or adsorption. No TOC removal occurred in the absence of the catalyst during the heat-up period at 150°C. The catalytic mechanism in the presence of oxygen was also investigated using various techniques (FTIR, GC-MS and Electrospray-MS). Based on the data obtained an adsorption/desorption/oxidation mechanism is proposed.

Keywords: catalytic wet oxidation; CWO; wet air oxidation; pulp and paper mills; industrial effluent; ferulic acid; transition metal catalysts; wastewater treatment; high-pressure reactors; organic removal.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2008.017862

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2008 Vol.9 No.1, pp.87 - 96

Published online: 20 Apr 2008 *

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