Complete Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds Over Spent Vanadium-Based Catalyst

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene and toluene pose environmental and health risks.
• Spent catalysts often require regeneration or modification for continued use.
• Vanadium-based catalysts are utilized in oxidation reactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the catalytic properties and activity of spent vanadium-based catalysts.
• To investigate the effects of modification with copper and manganese on catalyst performance.
• To assess the impact of oxalic acid treatment on catalyst activity for VOC oxidation.

Main Methods:

• Catalyst characterization using Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and Scanning electron microscopy-Energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX).
• Catalytic oxidation of benzene and toluene.
• Treatment of spent catalyst with oxalic acid.
• Modification of treated catalyst with copper and manganese.

Main Results:

• Oxalic acid treatment significantly improved the activity of the spent vanadium-based catalyst.
• Treatment led to the removal of catalyst poisons, such as sulfur.
• Even redistribution of catalyst components was observed after oxalic acid treatment.
• Addition of copper or manganese to the oxalic acid-treated spent catalyst (SVO) further enhanced catalytic activity.

Conclusions:

• Oxalic acid treatment is an effective method for regenerating and improving spent vanadium-based catalysts.
• Copper and manganese modifications enhance the performance of treated spent catalysts for VOC oxidation.
• Modified catalysts show promise for efficient removal of benzene and toluene from emissions.