Complete mineralization of acetic acid using catalytic ozonation with a high energy efficiency enhanced by MnO2/γ-Al2O3

Abstract

The complete mineralization of acetic acid in a biodegradation process is difficult due to the α-position methyl on the carboxyl group of acetic acid. This study explores the complete oxidation of acetic acid by catalytic ozonation. Metal oxides of MnO2, Co3O4, Fe3O4, and CeO2 loaded on γ-Al2O3 power were used as the catalysts. The experimental results showed that MnO2/γ-Al2O3 catalyst had the best mineralization performance for acetic acid. Typically, the mineralization of acetic acid is as high as 88.4% after 300 min ozonation of 100 mL of 1.0 g L‒1 acetic acid catalysed by 3.0 g 1.0wt.% MnO2/γ-Al2O3 catalyst powder with an energy efficiency of 15 g kWh‒1. However, without a catalyst, the mineralization of acetic acid is only 33.2% with an energy efficiency of 5.1 g kWh−1. The effects of MnO2 loading, catalyst dosage, acetic acid concentration, O3 concentration, ozonation temperature, and initial pH value of the acetic acid solution were systematically investigated. Radical quenchers and in-situ DRIFTS analyses indicated that •OH radical and reactive oxygen species on catalyst surface played an important role in the ozonation of acetic acid to CO2 and H2O. The mechanism of acetic acid oxidation on MnO2/γ-Al2O3 is proposed.