The Use of manganese complexes as oxidation catalysts for organic pollutants

Abstract

Several manganese complexes have been used as oxidation catalysts for the reaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with hydrogen peroxide. Three of the catalysts tested have shown high activity [Mn(EDTA), Mn(Salen), and Mn(Unilever)]. Using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant these three catalysts exhibit 80% oxidation of all of the individual PAHs tested in the study (acenaphthene, anthracene, fluoranthene. chrysene, pyrene). Mixed PAHs samples were oxidized to a greater extent than the individual PAHs. This has been shown to be due to dimerisation of the PAH oxidation product. Several interesting dimerisation products have been detected. It was also observed that the catalysts could carry out the oxidation of the PAHs in a soil slurry.