Abiotic oxidation of catechol by soil metal oxides.

The mechanism of catechol oxidation by soil metal oxides is investigated in a slurry reactor. This abiotic transformation is shown to consist in a three-step process. The first step is a heterogeneous reaction.

Soil-catalyzed polymerization of phenolics in polluted waters.

Some biotic and abiotic soil components are able to catalyze phenol oxidation, producing water-insoluble polymers. In phenol-polluted water bodies, this phenomenon could be exploited to prevent phenol dispersion. The reaction kinetics of phenol polymerization catalyzed by soil samples drawn from unsaturated and aquifer layers was measured in slurry, aerated batch reactors.