Catalytic wet oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol solutions: activity of the manganese-cerium composite catalyst and biodegradability of the effluent stream.

Aqueous solutions containing 100 to 1000 mg/L of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) were oxidized in an upflowing fixed-bed reactor in this study of manganese-cerium composite catalysts, which were prepared by the coprecipitation of both manganese nitrate and ceric nitrate at various molar concentrations. Results showed that 2,4-DCP conversion by wet oxidation in the presence of the manganese-cerium composite catalysts was a function of the molar ratio of the manganese-cerium catalyst. The kinetic behavior of 2,4-DCP oxidation with catalysis could be explained by using a zero-order rate expression.