Air Emissions Control Using Zeolitic Materials Impregnated with Potassium Permanganate

摘要

Natural zeolites are abundant and inexpensive minerals; their commercial applications include water pollution control, water purification, and reaction catalysis. These natural minerals can withstand extreme temperature conditions and are practically immune to chemical degradation. The research presented here is a lab-scale evaluation of the potential use of zeolites to remove and oxidize organic compounds from a gas stream using potassium permanganate impregnated zeolites. Natural zeolites have a highly porous internal structure that is available for adsorption of organic molecules from air streams. These materials are able to adsorb benzene, toluene, xylenes and ethylbenzene (BTEX) from gas at relatively low temperatures (ca. 100℃). The porous internal structure can be used to contain strong oxidizers. We have successfully impregnated a natural zeolite with potassium permanganate, without loosing much of the internal surface of the mineral. Preliminary results indicate that the permanganate is capable of converting adsorbed BTEX to more oxidized organic compounds.