Fenton's Reagent Application for Phenols Treatment

This specialty chemical manufacturer was experiencing discharge violations (phenols, bio-toxicity) resulting from ineffective treatment with their existing processes and needed to pre-treat a wastewater stream to reduce phenols by 90% prior to mixing with higher flow waste streams.

USP Technologies was tasked to design and provide a Fenton’s treatment program whereby the iron catalyst is added to the wastewater stream in-line (static mixer), with the hydrogen peroxide injected (with mixing) into the first cell of a baffled reaction vessel. The baffled reaction vessel helps eliminate short-circuiting and provides sufficient reaction time. The hydrogen peroxide and iron catalyst dosing modules are interlocked with the wastewater pumps to ensure chemical feed stops with an interruption in wastewater flow.

USP personnel worked with a major environmental consulting firm and the manufacturer on lab scale “treatability” tests as well as design of the full-scale process. USP also conducted a successful 6-month full-scale demonstration of the technology resulting in optimization of chemical dose requirements.

USP supplies the iron catalyst, hydrogen peroxide, and turnkey storage and dosing systems for both chemicals. Supply scope includes ongoing equipment maintenance, remote tank monitoring/inventory management, and applications services. The Fenton’s process is now a permanent part of the overall facility wastewater treatment process and has consistently achieved >90% removal of phenols from this stream as well as eliminated bio-toxicity violations and public relations issues.