Methods for electrochemical reduction of halogenated organic compounds
AssigneePCB Sandpiper, Inc.
InventorsDuane J. Mazur, Norman L. Weinberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for the electrochemical destruction of halogenated organic compounds provides for the reduction of such compounds to levels below 1 ppm with carbonaceous cathodes which are principally amorphous carbon sufficiently graphitized to enhance the rate of the reaction without substantial reduction in stability to electrochemical corrosion.
Claims18
In a process for the dehalogenation of organic compounds by the steps of providing an electrolytic cell having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte comprising a halogenated organic compound, and impressing a voltage across said anode and cathode sufficient to reduce the halogenated organic compound at the cathode, the improvement comprising conducting the reaction in the presence of a carbonaceous, high surface area cathode, said cathode being an amorphous carbon sufficiently graphitized to enhance dehalogenation without a substantial decrease in stability to electrochemical corrosion.
In a process for removing a halogenated aromatic compound from a liquid carrier contaminated therewith and dehalogenating said compound by the steps of extracting and separating said halogenated compound from said carrier with an organic solvent to form a carrier having a reduced level of halogenated aromatic compound and an organic solvent enriched in said compound, and electrolyzing said halogenated aromatic compound electrolyte which is nonaqueous in an electrolytic cell having an anode and a cathode by impressing a voltage across said anode and cathode, the improvement comprising conducting the dehalogenation reaction in the presence of an electrochemically corrosion resistant, porous, high surface area carbonaceous cathode.
In a process for the dehalogenation of organic compounds by the steps of providing an electrolytic cell having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte comprising a halogenated organic compound, and impressing a voltage across an anode and cathode sufficient to reduce the halogenated organic compound at the cathode, the improvement comprising carrying out the reaction by conducting the electrolyte comprising the halogenated organic compound through a cathode comprising a bed of particulate carbon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.