Catalytic oxidation of odorous organic acids

Emissions of volatile organic acids is a significant problem in rural communities. So far no one has considered catalytic solutions to the problem but catalytic alternatives look quite reasonable. In this paper we present the results of the first study of the oxidation of a series of odorous organic acids on copper catalysts. We find that the organic acids are easily oxidized on commercial copper on alumina catalysts. Light-off temperatures vary from 180 degreesC for n-butyric acid to 220 degreesC for acetic acid. The rate of oxidation of acetic and i-butyric acid show simple power law dependence on the concentrations of the reactants. In contrast, the oxidation of n-butyric, i-valeric and n-valeric acids show rates which reach a maximum at intermediate oxygen concentrations. Analysis of the data indicates that the copper can exist in two different states: a more active and a less active state. These results provide the first evidence that catalytic processes are viable for emissions control in rural communities. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.