Processing of petrochemical compounds produces a large amount of wastewater. This wastewater consists of toxic (hazardous) materials that can not be discharged to the environment without treatment. As restrictive environmental constraints increase, new technologies are needed to treat those toxic materials before discharging them to the environment. Wet Air Oxidation (WAO) is one of these new methods. / This study casts light on the effect of initial pH on the WAO of benzene at different temperatures and pressures. It was found that at pH 6, a temperature of 260°C and a partial pressure of oxygen of 1.38 MPa around 97% degradation was achieved in one hour. When the initial pH was lowered to 4 more than 90% degradation was achieved at 220°C and PO2 of 1.38 MPa in only 15 minutes.` It was concluded that the higher the temperature the better the benzene degradation, and the faster benzene degradation has been obtained with the increasing partial pressure of oxygen. The main intermediates were acetic acid and formic acid. / Furthermore, it was found that the degradation of benzene can be further enhanced in the presence of phenol. The main reason can be attributed to the effect of the free radicals generated from the fast phenol degradation. A simplified pathway for oxidation of benzene was proposed.

No description available.

The purpose of this research was to identify the composition of soils on firefighter turnout gear from the Philadelphia Fire Department and to determine which soils contain hazardous materials. The objective of the research was to identify the composition of soils remaining on the firefighter turnout gear to enable the industry to design an effective cleaning procedure for removal of soils. A pilot study was conducted on hoods from the Philadelphia fire department to evaluate the test methods that would be used to identify the composition of soils. Soils that had been identified from previous studies were targeted in the analysis of the extraction of the samples removed from the hoods. Samples were removed from areas of the coats and pants where dermal absorption is reported as high areas of skin absorption, including areas in the neck, armpit, crotch and wrist locations.

The purpose of the study was to determine how the waste from m-Endo agar LES (LesEndo) should be categorized and managed, due to its content of the carcinogenic substance basic red 9 in basic fuchsine. The information was obtained by studying legislation and a laboratory practical was performed to verify, if basic fuchsine could remain in LesEndo agar after being heated. This was important to know for the further interpretation how to categorize and manage the waste according to the legislation. LesEndo agar was autoclaved at 121 °C for 15 and 30 minutes. E. coli and coliform bacteria was put to grow on the LesEndo agar. The results from the study showed that all replicas had coliform colonies, which appeared with a metallic fuchsine-sheen. This verified that basic fuchsine was unchanged and that there was no significant difference in growth between replicas with heated agar and the control. The total concentration of basic fuchsine in LesEndo agar was 0.08%. To be categorized as hazardous waste the threshold value for basic red 9 is 0.1%. According to a strict interpretation of the legislation, waste from used LesEndo agar should not be categorized and managed as hazardous waste. However, evaporation has to be taken into consideration and the concentration may be above 0.1%. Therefore my evaluation is that waste from used LesEndo agar should be categorized and managed as hazardous waste to protect humans and the environment from being harmed.

Graduation date: 1994

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on January 15, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references (ℓ. 70-76)

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Univ., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Title from file title page. Laura O. Taylor, committee chair; H. Spencer Banzhaf, Susan K. Laury, Mary Beth Walker, Kenneth E. McConnell, committee members. Electronic text (177 p. : ill.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Jan. 7, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 172-176).

Thesis (Ph. D. - Hydrology and Water Resources) - University of Arizona. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-99).