Oxidative Degradation of phenol using in-situ generated H2O2 combined with Fenton’s process

Oxidative destruction of organic compounds in water streams could significantly reduce environmental effects associated with discharging waste. We report the development of a process to oxidise phenol in aqueous solutions, a model for waste stream contaminants, using Fenton’s reactions combined with in situ synthesised H2O2. Bi-functional Pd-Fe supported catalysts, where Pd is responsible for H2O2 synthesis while Fe ensures the production of reactive oxygen species required for the degradation of phenol to less toxic species is reported. A comparison is made between in situ generated and commercial H2O2 and the effect of phenol degradation products on catalyst stability is explored.