Toluene degradation using aqueous absorption and Fenton's oxidation in pilot plant

Abstract

In pilot plant, the absorption column comprises a 2 m long by 75 mm diameter mass transfer section which was packed with 16 mm plastic Pall rings. The reactor has a capacity of 50 litres. The pressure drop at liquid and gas loading used in this study showed the system to be in the loading region. The mass transfer coefficient is a function of both the liquid and gas flow rates. The height of a transfer unit is in the range of Onda's prediction toleration. Toluene absorption by water was observed to be 30 to be 37%. The percent toluene degradation is affected by sampling shaking time, operating time and the increasing of [H2O2] and [FeSO4] at the beginning of reaction. The results show that toluene is absorbed and oxidized at the same time the packed column. The concentration toluene is 60 ppm in aqueous solution. The percent toluene degradation by mole than 95% measured at the reactor outlet indicates that the continuous operation gives agreement with the batch operation at the molar ratio of [H2O2]:[Toluene]:[FeSO4] of [30]:[1]:[3], a pH of 3 and an operating time of 1 hr. The absorption combines with chemical oxidation using Fenton's reagent to achieve optimum and cost-effective treatment for air contaminated with organic aqueous solution with a short time and a single treatment.