The invention provides a method of treating waste comprising the steps of: providing an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode, and an anode; supplying a waste stream comprising an organic compound which is a liquid or dissolved in a solvent and contacting the anode and cathode with the waste stream; electrochemically oxidising the organic compound at the anode; supplying oxygen to the cathode; electrochemically reducing the oxygen at the cathode; wherein the cathode comprises a poison resistant oxygen reduction catalyst.

A method for recovering water from purified terephthalic acid production wastewater includes: producing purified terephthalic acid comprising purified terephthalic acid feedstock and wastewater comprising impurities; separating the purified terephthalic acid feedstock from the wastewater comprising impurities; transferring the wastewater to a tank; adjusting the p H of the wastewater with a basic solution; adjusting the temperature of the wastewater; passing the wastewater to a column; contacting the wastewater with an ion exchange resin to remove the impurities; and recovering the water depleted of impurities.

Methods and nanocomposites for the adsorptive removal of aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene from contaminated water sources and systems are provided. The nanocomposites contain carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanoparticles such as Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZnO impregnated on a surface and/or in pore spaces of the carbon nanotubes. Methods of preparing and characterizing the nanocomposite adsorbents are also provided.

Methods and nanocomposites for the adsorptive removal of aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene from contaminated water sources and systems are provided. The nanocomposites contain carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanoparticles such as Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZnO impregnated on a surface and/or in pore spaces of the carbon nanotubes. Methods of preparing and characterizing the nanocomposite adsorbents are also provided.

A preparation method of an iron-cobalt fenton-like catalyst includes steps of: adopting FeCl.sub.2.4H.sub.2O and CoCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2O as reaction precursors, KBH.sub.4 as a reaction reducing agent, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as a surface protecting agent; preparing with a liquid phase reduction method; and after aging, suction filtration, washing, and vacuum drying, obtaining a product of the iron-cobalt fenton-like catalyst. The iron-cobalt fenton-like catalyst has a fast reaction, a relatively high treatment efficiency and a relatively wide adaptability. Moreover, an application of the iron-cobalt fenton-like catalyst in an industrial wastewater treatment is provided.

Processes and apparatuses converting poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). An oxidation reaction zone, preferably a thermal oxidizer, is used to oxidize the PFAS into fluoride species. A reaction zone having at least one reactor containing a solid reactant for neutralizing the fluoride species is provided. The solid reactant is also configured to degrade any PFAS remaining in the effluent from the oxidation zone. A cooling zone, for example, a quench zone may be between the reaction zone and the oxidation zone. The PFAS may be liquid PFAS that is injected into the thermal oxidizer.

The invention provides a microorganism that can degrade aromatic polyester or a degradation product thereof and a method for degrading aromatic polyester or a degradation product thereof with the use of such microorganism. The microorganism is a bacterial strain that degrades aromatic polyester or a degradation product such as the strain No. 2a (Accession Number: NITE BP-03483); the strain No. 7a (Accession Number: NITE BP-03484); or the strain No. 8d (Accession Number: NITE BP-03485).

A method for removing a fluorine-containing compound from discharge water, which includes bringing discharge water containing two or more fluorine-containing compounds represented by the following general formula (1) or (2) into contact with an adsorbent so as to adsorb the two or more fluorine-containing compounds:

(H(CF.sub.2).sub.mCOO).sub.pM.sup.1General Formula (1):

wherein m is 3 to 19, M.sup.1 is H, a metal atom, NR.sup.b.sub.4, where R.sup.b is the same or different and is H or an organic group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, imidazolium optionally having a substituent, pyridinium optionally having a substituent, or phosphonium optionally having a substituent; and p is 1 or 2;

(H(CF.sub.2).sub.nSO.sub.3).sub.qM.sup.2General Formula (2):

wherein n is 4 to 20; M.sup.2 is H, a metal atom, NR.sup.b.sub.4, where R.sup.b is the same as above, imidazolium optionally having a substituent, pyridinium optionally having a substituent, or phosphonium optionally having a substituent; and q is 1 or 2.

Methods and nanocomposites for the adsorptive removal of aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene from contaminated water sources and systems are provided. The nanocomposites contain carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanoparticles such as Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZnO impregnated on a surface and/or in pore spaces of the carbon nanotubes. Methods of preparing and characterizing the nanocomposite adsorbents are also provided.

A method for detecting and controlling the amount of cationic species in a water stream in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure is carried out by adding a solution containing a pre-determined quantity of a fluorescent tracer to the sample of water stream to obtain a solution comprising a complex. The fluorescence emission spectra of the solution is measured for detecting the presence or absence of the cationic species based on the attenuation and shift of the emission peak in the range of 640 nm to 655 nm.