P‐Chlorophenol Wastewater Treatment by Microwave‐Enhanced Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation

A microwave-enhanced catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (MW-CWPO) technology was investigated to treat a high concentration of p-chlorophenol wastewater under a mild condition. The MW-CWPO experiments were carried out in a microwave autoclave using copper(II) oxide (CuO)-loaded active carbon as a catalyst. The p-chlorophenol was directly ring-opened within 5 minutes at 343 K and 0.3 MPa and then mineralized to carbon dioxide and water. More than 90% of the total organic carbon was removed within 15 minutes. The reaction activation energy (Ea) of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposition was decreased from 47.7 to 43.1 kJ/mol under microwave irradiation. The H2O2 catalytic decomposition was fitted to a second-order reaction under microwave irradiation, while it followed a first-order reaction without microwave irradiation. The experimental results indicate that the MW-CWPO method has significant potential applications for a high concentration of p-chlorophenol wastewater.