Kinetic model for the oxidation of hazardous compounds in an industrial effluent from forest biomass processing

COVINICH, L.G.; FELISSIA, F.E.; FENOGLIO, R.J.; AREA, M. C.

Concepción

Congreso; 3er Congreso Iberoamericano sobre Biorrefinerías (CIAB), 4to Congreso Latinoamericano sobre Biorrefinerías, y 2do Simposio Internacional sobre Materiales Lignocelulósicos; 2015

CIADEB-RIADICYP-PROVALOR-BIOREN- Centro de Biotecnología UdeC- Unidad de Desarrollo Tecnológico (UDT)- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.-

Industrial effluentsfrom alkaline sulfite treatment of wood contain several compounds that arerecalcitrant to microbiological treatment (aromatic derivatives from woodextractives and labile lignin fractions). A proper effluent treatment is thereforemandatory. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) exploit the high reactivity and lowselectivity of hydroxyl radicals (?OH), which attacks organic molecules duringoxidation. Catalytic parameters and conditions in the oxidation treatment ofreal industrial streams are barely known. Experiments were carried out in aPYREX glass batch reactor with a high-speed stirring (1200 rpm) to minimizeexternal mass transport effects. Pellets of CuO/γ-Al2O3were used as catalyst. The evolution of aromatic compounds during the reactionwas quantified by HPLC. Figure 1.a summarizes experimental conditions, where [H2O2]ocorrespond to initial hydrogen peroxide concentration of each oxidationreaction. Oxidation kinetics can be described as of pseudo-first order, theoverall rate is determined by the reaction between the substances to bedegraded and the consumed ?OH, which reach a constant concentration in thesolution.