TREATMENT OF AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS CONTAMINATED WITH SOLUBLE ORGANIC MATERIALS

• US 3,819,516 A
• Filed: 04/09/1973
• Issued: 06/25/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Craig B. Murchison, Robert E. Bailey, Ronald W. Diesen
• Original Assignee: Craig B. Murchison, Robert E. Bailey, Ronald W. Diesen
• Inventors: Murchison, Craig B., Bailey, Robert E., Diesen, Ronald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaharna, Samih N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Castel, Benoit
• Application Number:
  US05/349,518
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 210/50,59,63,64,48 99/218 21/DIG.2,58 204/157.1
• US Class Current: 210/763
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/725 by catalytic oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

An aqueous liquor containing oxidizable organic materials is treated in the following manner to oxidize the organics. There is provided in solution, in the organically polluted aqueous liquor, a catalytic quantity of iron ions. The pH of the aqueous liquor is adjusted to 4 or below and then treated with oxygen and light energy having a wave length of 5800 A or less. The principle products of the oxidation process are CO2, water and lower molecular weight organics.

Claims

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the light is sunlight.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH of the aqueous liquor ranges from 2 to 3.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the intensity of the light ranges from about 0.1 to about 100 k watt-hours per pound of organic compound dissolved in said aqueous liquor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxygen is supplied to the reaction system by dispersing air through said aqueous liquor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein iron cations are present in an amount ranging from about 10 to about 50 ppm of the aqueous liquor.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the pH of the aqueous liquor ranges from 2 to 3.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the organic matter contains as the electron donor atom one or more of oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquor is at ambient temperature.