Method for reducing a content of formaldehyde in an aqueous medium

Abstract

A method is proposed with which a content of formaldehyde in aqueous media that are conducted in a circular flow, in particular within a circular flow of a gas scrubbing installation, can be reduced in an economical and sustainable manner, wherein the formaldehyde in the aqueous medium is chemically bound during a predetermined reaction time in a reaction zone in the course of a formosis reaction in such a way that a release of formaldehyde from the aqueous medium into a gas phase at a temperature of 95° C., an ambient pressure of 1 bar, during a test time interval of 10 min is limited to a concentration of formaldehyde in the gas phase of about 1 ppm or less, wherein the aqueous medium for chemically binding the formaldehyde in the course of the formosis reaction in the reaction zone for the predetermined reaction time is held at a reaction temperature of about 50° C. to about 100° C. and the pH value of the aqueous medium is set to an alkaline pH value in the range of about 11 to about 14.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.