Catalytic process for degradation of organic materials in aqueous and organic fluids to produce environmentally compatible products

A catalytic process for the purification of an organic solvent containing dissolved organic material without need for pretreating the organic solvent to be purified, said process comprising the steps of:

• obtaining an organic solvent containing dissolved organic material as an undesired impurity;
• combining said impure organic solvent in the presence of water with a solid catalyst comprising at least one transition element and a peroxide as a reaction mixture;
• and
• adding photoenergy absorbable by said solid catalyst to said reaction mixture to yield a substantially purified organic solvent and environmentally compatible reaction products comprising at least carbon dioxide.

An environmentally compatible process for regenerating granular activated carbon from exhausted granular activated carbon containing organic material, said process comprising the steps of:

• mixing the exhausted, granular activated carbon with an organic solvent such that the organic material becomes dissolved in said organic solvent and granular activated carbon is regenerated in a form substantially free of adsorbed organic material;
• separating said regenerated, granular activated carbon from said organic solvent containing dissolved organic material;
• combining said separated organic solvent with water, a solid catalyst comprising at least one transition element, and a peroxide as a reaction mixture;
• and
• adding photoenergy absorbable by said solid catalyst to said reaction mixture to yield an organic solvent substantially free of dissolved organic material and environmentally compatible reaction products comprising at least carbon dioxide.

An environmentally compatible process for purifying potable water and industrial waste water without need for pretreating the water to be purified, said process comprising the steps of:

• obtaining water polluted with undesired dissolved organic material;
• combining said polluted water with a solid catalyst comprising at least one transition element and a peroxide as a reaction mixture;
• and
• adding photoenergy absorbable by said solid catalyst to said reaction mixture to yield substantially purified water and environmentally compatible reaction products comprising at least carbon dioxide.

An environmentally compatible process for purifying potable water and industrial waste water, said process comprising the steps of:

• obtaining water polluted with organic material;
• passing said polluted water through granular activated carbon such that said organic material is substantially adsorbed by said granular activated carbon and said water is substantially purified;
• mixing said granular activated carbon containing adsorbed organic material with an organic solvent such that said organic material becomes dissolved in said organic solvent and said granular activated carbon is regenerated in a form substantially free of adsorbed organic material;
• separating said regenerated, granular activated carbon from said organic solvent containing dissolved organic material;
• combining said separated organic solvent with water, a solid catalyst comprising at least one transition element, and a peroxide as a reaction mixture;
• and
• adding photoenergy absorbable by said solid catalyst to said reaction mixture to yield an organic solvent substantially free of dissolved organic material and environmentally compatible reaction products comprising at least carbon dioxide.