ABSTRACT
Wet air oxidation (WAO) appears to be ideally suited for liquid wastes that are too dilute to incinerate and too refractory to handle by chemical and biological oxidation. As environmental discharge of harmful substances is further restricted by more stringent regulations, the use of WAO as an efficient and cost-effective treatment process for hazardous waste seems to be a promising alternative. In addition to the WAO units manufactured by Zimpro, the VerTech reactor, initially used for WAO of sludge, is now being used for treating industrial organic wastes, including hazardous wastes. Little is known about the types and concentrations of intermediates in WAO of hazardous organics, including nitro-, chloro-, and sulfo-aromatics. Wet air oxidation is effective for treating a variety of hazardous wastes, as demonstrated by many investigators. WAO is an effective treatment option for a variety of hazardous wastes.
