Revisiting the Behaviour of Vanadia-Based Catalysts in the Abatement of (Chloro)-Aromatic Pollutants: Towards an Integrated Understanding

Review of thermal treatments for the degradation of dioxins in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash: Proposing a suitable method for large-scale processing

Dioxin degradation is considered essential for the environmentally sound management of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA). Among the many degradation techniques, thermal treatment has shown good prospects owing to its high efficiency and wide range of applications. Thermal treatment is divided into high-temperature thermal, microwave thermal, hydrothermal, and low-temperature thermal treatments. High-temperature sintering and melting not only have dioxin degradation rates higher than 95 % but also remove volatile heavy metals, although energy consumption is high. High-temperature industrial co-processing effectively solves the problem of energy consumption, but with a low fly ash (FA) mixture, and the process is limited by location. Microwave thermal treatment and hydrothermal treatment are still in the experimental stage and cannot be used for large-scale processing. The dioxin degradation rate of low-temperature thermal treatment can also be stabilized at higher than 95 %. Compared to other methods, low-temperature thermal treatment is less costly and energy consumption with no restriction on location. This review comprehensively compares the current status of the above-mentioned thermal treatment methods and their ability to dispose of MSWIFA, especially the potential for large-scale processing. Then, the respective characteristics, challenges, and application prospects of different thermal treatment methods were discussed. Finally, based on the goal of low carbon and emission reduction, three possible approaches for improvement were proposed to address the challenges of large-scale processing of low-temperature thermal treatment, namely, adding a catalyst, changing the FA fraction, or supplementing with blockers, providing a reasonable development direction for the degradation of dioxins in MSWIFA.

Influence of zirconia addition in TiO2 and TiO2-CeO2 aerogels on the textural, structural and catalytic properties of supported vanadia in chlorobenzene oxidation

This paper studies the effect of the direct incorporation of ZrO₂ in TiO₂ and TiO₂-CeO₂ aerogel supports prepared by sol-gel route on the physico-chemical and catalytic properties of supported vanadia catalysts in the total oxidation of chlorobenzene. The obtained catalysts have been characterized by means of ICP-AES, N₂ adsorption-desorption at 77 K, XRD, XPS, H₂-TPR and NH₃-TPD. The results revealed that Zr-doped V₂O₅ based catalyst is beneficial for the improvement of catalytic properties in chlorobenzene total oxidation. In particular, in the absence of cerium groups, this beneficial effect is correlated with the better acidic properties or/and the stabilization of the V₂O₅ active phase in a higher oxidation state. However, in the case of cerium rich catalyst, this positive effect is much stronger thanks to the enhanced redox properties of V₂O₅/TiO₂-CeO₂-ZrO₂.

PCDD/F removal at low temperatures over vanadium-based catalyst: insight into the superiority of mechanochemical method

The high toxicity and low volatility of PCDD/Fs prevent detailed study of their catalytic degradation removal characteristics. In this study, 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCBz) was initially used as a model to investigate the catalytic characteristics of various vanadium-based catalysts prepared by different methods. Then, the optimized catalyst was used for catalytic degradation of real PCDD/Fs at low temperatures based on a self-made stable source. The VO_x/TiO₂ catalysts synthesized by the mechanochemical method (VTi-MC2) had a higher 1,2-DCBz removal efficiency (>85%) and stability (> 420 min) at low temperatures (< 200 °C) compared to VTi-SG (sol-gol method) and VTi-WI (wetness impregnation method). The physicochemical properties of catalysts were studied using comprehensive characterization. It was found that the VTi-MC2 has better VO_x species distribution and possesses the highest V⁵⁺ species and surface adsorbed oxygen content, which are the key factors that contributed to the higher removal efficiency. Accordingly, the mechanochemical method can be used to control the physicochemical properties of catalysts by adjusting the milling parameters. The optimum ball milling time is 2 h and a suitable precursor is NH₄VO₃ for VO_x/TiO₂. Moreover, the removal efficiency and catalytic degradation efficiency of PCDD/Fs in gas phase catalyzed by VTi-MC2 were 97% and 50% respectively, within a range of temperatures below 200 °C, which are both higher than those reported research. In general, the mechanochemical strategy employed in this study provides a means for seeking more efficient catalysts used for low-temperature degradation of various trace organic pollutants.

Development of Pharmaceutical VOCs Elimination by Catalytic Processes in China

As a byproduct of emerging as one of the world’s key producers of pharmaceuticals, China is now challenged by the emission of harmful pharmaceutical VOCs. In this review, the catalogue and volume of VOCs emitted by the pharmaceutical industry in China was introduced. The commonly used VOC removal processes and technologies was recommended by some typical examples. The progress of catalytic combustion, photocatalytic oxidation, non-thermal plasma, and electron beam treatment were presented, especially the development of catalysts. The advantages and shortages of these technologies in recent years were discussed and analyzed. Lastly, the development of VOCs elimination technologies and the most promising technology were discussed.

V2O5/TiO2 and V2O5/TiO2–SO42− catalysts for the total oxidation of chlorobenzene: one-step sol–gel preparation vs. two-step impregnation

This paper examines the effect of the preparation method of sulfated and unsulfated V₂O₅/TiO₂ catalysts on chlorobenzene total oxidation.

V-Containing Mixed Oxide Catalysts for Reduction–Oxidation-Based Reactions with Environmental Applications: A Short Review

V-containing mixed oxide catalytic materials are well known as active for partial oxidation reactions. Oxidation reactions are used in industrial chemistry and for the abatement of pollutants. An analysis of the literature in this field during the past few years shows a clear increase in the use of vanadium-based materials as catalysts for environmental applications. The present contribution makes a brief revision of the main applications of vanadium containing mixed oxides in environmental catalysis, analyzing the properties that present the catalysts with a better behavior that, in most cases, is related with the stabilization of reduced vanadium species (as V4+/V3+) during reaction.

Catalytic decomposition of PCDD/Fs on a V2O5-WO3/nano-TiO2 catalyst: effect of NaCl

The effect of NaCl addition on the properties, activity, and deactivation of a V₂O₅-WO₃/nano-TiO₂ catalyst was investigated during catalytic decomposition of gas-phase polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). The extent of deactivation relates directly to the NaCl loading of the catalyst. Poisoning by sodium neutralizes acid sites, interacts strongly with active VO_x species, and reduces the redox capacity of catalysts. In addition, NaCl is also a chlorine source and may actually accelerate the synthesis of new PCDD/Fs. Washing a catalyst with dilute sulfuric acid largely restores catalytic activity, breaking the interaction of Na⁺ ions and dispersed vanadia and removing Na from the catalyst surface. Consequently, catalyst acidity and redox capacity almost recover. Furthermore, sulfate residues react with surface adsorbed water to generate Brønsted acid sites, ensuing a surge of strong acidity of the catalysts.

Ozone assisted oxidation of gaseous PCDD/Fs over CNTs-containing composite catalysts at low temperature

Ozone assisted carbon nanotubes (CNTs) supported vanadium oxide/titanium dioxide (V/Ti-CNTs) or vanadium oxide-manganese oxide/titanium dioxide (V-Mn/Ti-CNTs) catalysts towards gaseous PCDD/Fs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans) catalytic oxidations at low temperature (150 °C) were investigated. The removal efficiency (RE) and decomposition efficiency (DE) of PCDD/Fs achieved with V-Mn/Ti-CNTs alone were 95% and 45% at 150 °C under a space velocity (SV) of 14000 h^-1; yet, these values reached 99% and 91% when catalyst and low concentration (50 ppm) ozone were used in combined. The ozone promotion effect on catalytic activity was further enhanced with the addition of manganese oxide (MnO_x) and CNTs. Adding MnO_x and CNTs in V/Ti catalysts facilitated the ozone decomposition (creating more active species on catalyst surface), thus, improved ozone utilization (demanding relatively lower ozone addition concentration). On the other hand, this study threw light upon ozone promotion mechanism based on the comparison of catalyst properties (i.e. components, surface area, surface acidity, redox ability and oxidation state) before and after ozone treatment. The experimental results indicate that a synergistic effect exists between catalyst and ozone: ozone is captured and decomposed on catalyst surface; meanwhile, the catalyst properties are changed by ozone in return. Reactive oxygen species from ozone decomposition and the accompanied catalyst properties optimization are crucial reasons for catalyst activation at low temperature.

Comparative analyses of catalytic degradation of PCDD/Fs in the laboratory vs. industrial conditions

This study investigates the efficiencies and mechanisms of the catalytic degradation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) first, in simulated laboratory conditions and then, in a commercial municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) plant. Five commercially available V₂O₅-WO₃/TiO₂ (VWTi) catalysts were tested. The degradation efficiency of PCDD/Fs in the simulated flue gas ranged 22.8-91.7% and was generally higher than that in the MSWI flue gas of 8.0-85.4%. The degradation efficiency of PCDD/Fs in the real flue gas of the MSWI plant was largely hindered by the complex composition of the flue gas, which could not be completely reproduced in the simulated laboratory conditions. Furthermore, the degradation of the higher chlorinated PCDD/Fs was easier compared to the lower chlorinated ones in the presence of the VWTi catalysts, which was primarily driven by the tendency of the higher chlorinated PCDD/Fs to be adsorbed on the surface of the catalyst and further destructed due to their lower vapor pressure. In addition, powdered catalysts should be preferred over the honeycomb shaped ones as they exposed higher PCDD/Fs degradation efficiencies under equal reaction conditions. The chemical composition and a range of the relevant to the study properties of the catalysts, such as surface area, crystallinity, oxidation ability, and surface acidity, were analyzed. The study ultimately supports the identification of the preferred characteristics of the VWTi catalysts for the most efficient degradation of toxic PCDD/Fs and elucidates the corresponding deactivation reasons of the catalysts.

Aerosol processing: a wind of innovation in the field of advanced heterogeneous catalysts

Aerosol processing technologies represent a major route of innovation in the mushrooming field of heterogeneous catalysts preparation.

Innovative Sol-Gel Routes for the Bottom-Up Preparation of Heterogeneous Catalysts

Heterogeneous catalysts can be prepared by different methods offering various levels of control on the final properties of the solid. In this account, we exemplify bottom-up preparation routes that are based on the sol-gel chemistry and allow to tailor some decisive properties of solid catalysts. First, an emulsion templating strategy is shown to lead to macrocellular self-standing monoliths with a macroscopic 3D structure. The latter can be used as catalyst or catalyst supports in flow chemistry, without requiring any subsequent shaping step. Second, the aerosol-assisted sol-gel process allows for the one-step and continuous production of porous mixed oxides. Tailored textural properties can be obtained together with an excellent control on composition and homogeneity. Third, the application of non-hydrolytic sol-gel routes, in the absence of water, leads to mixed oxides with outstanding textural properties and with peculiar surface chemistry. In all cases, the resulting catalytic performance can be correlated with the specificities of the preparation routes presented. This is exemplified in catalytic reactions in the fields of biomass conversion, petro chemistry, enantioselective organic synthesis, and air pollution mitigation.

Catalytic decomposition of gaseous PCDD/Fs over V2O5/TiO2-CNTs catalyst: Effect of NO and NH3 addition

There is a strong need for a control technology that simultaneously achieving the abatement of PCDD/Fs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in waste incineration industry. TiO2 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used as composite carriers to support vanadium oxide as an innovative catalyst to simultaneously control PCDD/Fs and NO emissions. The removal efficiencies (RE) of PCDD/Fs by V2O5/TiO2-CNTs catalyst under a space velocity (SV) of 20,000 h(-1) reaches 99.9% at 150 °C and adsorption is supposed to be the main mechanism at this temperature. The influence of NONH3 reaction on PCDD/Fs catalytic reaction is investigated. The kinetics analysis exhibits that the addition of NO and NH3 reduces the activation energies for OCDD (octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) and OCDF (octachlorodibenzofuran) decomposition to 3.6 kJ/mol and 5.4 kJ/mol respectively.

Catalytic oxidation of methyl bromide using ruthenium-based catalysts

Ruthenium-based catalysts Ru/TiO₂, Ru/SiO₂, Ru/γ-Al₂O₃, and Ru/ZrO₂ were prepared and evaluated for CH₃Br oxidation, and Ru/TiO₂ showed the best catalytic performance. Product selectivity, thermal stability, and anti-moisture properties were also studied.

State of the art in catalytic oxidation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds

Chlorine-containing organic compounds (Cl-VOC) require special attention due to their distinct toxicity, high stability and persistence in the environment. Removal of Cl-VOC by catalytic oxidation over a wide variety of catalysts has been presented in literature. This paper reviews the state of the art in this subject, including different model compounds, nature of catalysts, and oxidation activity. Catalyst selectivity (CO2 vs. CO and HCl vs. Cl2), by-products formation and the causes of deactivation are also analyzed as the most important factors in the catalyst selection for practical applications.

Gas phase catalytic hydrodechlorination of chlorobenzene over cobalt phosphide catalysts with different P contents

The gas phase catalytic hydrodechlorination (HDC) of chlorobenzene (CB) at atmospheric pressure was investigated over silica-supported cobalt and cobalt phosphide catalysts containing different P loading and a fixed amount of cobalt (5 wt.%). The effect of the initial P/Co molar ratio on the stoichiometry of the cobalt phosphide phase, the acidity and the hydrogen activation capability were discussed and these properties correlated with the catalytic activity. Catalytic results indicated that the cobalt phosphide phase is much more active than the monometallic cobalt one. The activity raised with the P content present in the sample due to the formation of the CoP phase instead of the Co₂P one, which favored the formation of hydrogen spillover species, increased the amount of weak acid sites and the number of exposed superficial cobalt atoms probably related to a better dispersion of the active phase. All the catalysts gave rise benzene as the main reaction product.

Catalytic hydrodechlorination of chloroaromatic gas streams promoted by Pd and Ni: the role of hydrogen spillover

Catalytic hydrodechlorination (HDC) is an effective means of detoxifying chlorinated waste. Involvement of spillover hydrogen is examined in gas phase dechlorination of chlorobenzene (CB) and 1,3-dichlorobenzene (1,3-DCB) over Pd and Ni. The catalytic action of single component Pd and Ni, Pd/Al(2)O(3), Ni/Al(2)O(3) and physical mixtures with Al(2)O(3) has been considered. Catalyst activation is characterized in terms of temperature programmed reduction, the supported nano-scale metal phase by transmission electron microscopy and hydrogen/surface interactions by chemisorption/temperature programmed desorption. Pd/Al(2)O(3) generated significantly greater amounts of spillover hydrogen (by a factor of over 40) compared with Ni/Al(2)O(3). Hydrogen spillover on Pd/Al(2)O(3) far exceeded the chemisorbed component, whereas chemisorbed and spillover content was equivalent for Ni/Al(2)O(3). Inclusion of Al(2)O(3) with Ni and Ni/Al(2)O(3) increased spillover with an associated increase in specific HDC rate (up to a factor of 10) and enhanced selectivity to benzene from 1,3-DCB. HDC rate delivered by Pd and Pd/Al(2)O(3) was largely unaffected by the addition of Al(2)O(3). This can be attributed to the higher intrinsic HDC performance of Pd that results in appreciable HDC activity under conditions where Ni/Al(2)O(3) was inactive. Spillover was partially recovered (post TPD) for the Ni samples but the loss was irreversible in the case of Pd.

Evaluation of PCDD/F oxidation catalysts: confronting studies on model molecules with tests on PCDD/F-containing gas stream

Titania supported vanadium oxide is a renowned catalyst for the abatement of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) from gas effluents. To develop more active formulations, researchers mainly rely on lab-scale experiments on "PCDD/Fs-mimicking substances", like (chloro)-benzene. Using such model compounds is convenient whereas handling PCDD/Fs in the laboratory is potentially hazardous and complicated. Recent studies, however, challenged some foremost conclusions of model compound based studies, starting from the observation that different model compounds gave contrasted results. Thus the present work aims at confronting some of these dubious conclusions with direct experimental tests on PCDD/Fs. One reference V(2)O(5)/TiO(2) catalyst and three modified formulations (V(2)O(5)/TiO(2)-SO(4), V(2)O(5)-MoO(3)/TiO(2), and V(2)O(5)-WO(3)/TiO(2)) have been evaluated. A dedicated apparatus was used which allows safe and reliable tests on a mixture of PCDD/Fs congeners. Some of the previously proposed catalyst improvement strategies actually prove to be disadvantageous in the removal of PCDD/Fs. In particular, MoO(3)- and WO(3)-modified catalysts were significantly less active than the reference catalyst. These observations show that conclusions from model compound based studies must be drawn with care and should ideally be confronted with tests on the actual target pollutants.

Preparation of MnOx/TiO2 composites and their properties for catalytic oxidation of chlorobenzene

MnO(x)/TiO(2) composites with different atomic ratio of Mn/Ti were prepared by sol-gel, solvothermal and coprecipitation method, respectively. The catalytic tests on chlorobenzene (CB) removal ability of all 15 catalysts were performed in a fixed-bed flow reactor and compared to each other. Experimental results showed that when the atomic ratio of Mn/Ti reached 1:4, the activity of the catalysts prepared by three methods reached their highest value, particularly the catalyst with the Mn/Ti atomic ratio of 1:4 prepared by sol-gel method showed higher catalytic activity than the catalysts with the same atomic ratio prepared by other methods at temperature between 100 and 300 degrees C. From the microstructure characterization by XRD, SEM, EDS, BET, and TPR, it could be known that the combined TiO(2) phases of anatase and rutile and a good dispersion of manganese oxides contributed to a good catalytic performance in the catalyst prepared by the sol-gel method.