Chloride ions promoted the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of phenol over clay-based catalysts.

Abstract

Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of phenol over clay-based catalysts in the presence and absence of NaCl was investigated. Changes in the H2O2, Cl(-), and dissolved metal ion concentration, as well as solution pH during phenol oxidation, were also studied. Additionally, the intermediates formed during phenol oxidation were detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy and the chemical bonding information of the catalyst surfaces was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the presence of Cl(-) increased the oxidation rate of phenol to 155%, and this phenomenon was ubiquitous during the oxidation of phenolic compounds by H2O2 over clay-based catalysts. Cl(-)-assisted oxidation of phenol was evidenced by several analytical techniques such as mass spectroscopy (MS) and XPS, and it was hypothesized that the rate-limiting step was accelerated in the presence of Cl(-). Based on the results of this study, the CWPO technology appears to be promising for applications in actual saline phenolic wastewater treatment.