ABSTRACT
In the traditional process, sebacic acid was prepared by cracking castor oil using phenol or cresol as diluent, and the yield of sebacic acid was comparatively low, that is, 35.7-44.0% (Stephen, 1973). At present, a large amount of wastewater containing phenol was produced in the process of preparing sebacic acid from castor oil by the traditional high-temperature alkali fusion cracking method. Using this method, phenol content was 2000-3000 mg/L by water quality analysis and 120 million tons of wastewater containing phenol was produced each year. It is generally known that phenol or cresol is poisonous to all living individuals. Especially, it can mouse into organisms through skin, and contacts with protoplasmic protein to form insoluble protein, which makes cells lose their activity. Especially, it has a greater affinity to the nervous system and causes lesions to the nervous system. Therefore, developing a phenolfree method for the production of sebacic acid is highly recommended.
