Catalytic wet air oxidation of carboxylic acids on TiO2-supported ruthenium catalysts

The total oxidation of aqueous solutions of carboxylic acids by air was studied in a slurry reactor over the temperature range 180-200 degrees C and oxygen partial pressure of 0.3-1.8 MPa in the presence of a 2.8%Ru/TiO(2) catalyst. The influence of various parameters is presented: the catalytic wet air oxidation of succinic acid is 0 order with respect to succinic acid; the order with respect to oxygen pressure is 0.4, and the activation energy is ca. 125 kJ/mol. It was found that acetic acid, which is one of the intermediates, and CO(2) have no retarding effect on the total organic carbon abatement rate of succinic acid. Substitution of one hydrogen atom of the methyl group in acetic acid by Cl, OH, or NH(2) gives an increase of the oxidation rate. However, it was proposed that the low activity of acetic acid oxidation is due not only to the difficulty to oxidize the methyl group, but also to the law adsorption coefficient of acetic acid on ruthenium surface. Inorganic salts, such as sodium chloride, only slightly decrease the oxidation rate of acetic acid. The absence of metal ions (Ru, Ti) in the effluents after reaction and the absence of particle sintering indicate also a high stability of the catalyst under the conditions employed. The catalyst can be recycled without loss of activity after the second run. The activity becomes stable after the attainment of a steady-state coverage of the Ru particles by oxygen. The study of the effect of reduction-oxidation treatments of the catalyst showed that the activity depends on the oxidation state of the surface. (C) 1999 Academic Press.