A catalyst and methods for making the catalyst are provided. An exemplary catalyst includes the formula: Mo.sub.aV.sub.bTe.sub.c-Ta.sub.dO.sub.x. In this formula, a is 1.0, b is about 0.01 to about 0.3, c is about 0.01 to about 0.09, d is about 0.01 to about 0.05, and x is the number of oxygen atoms necessary to render the catalyst electronically neutral.

Acrylic acid is produced by dehydrating glycerol over a first mixed metal oxide catalyst in the presence of oxygen and water to produce acrolein, and then oxidizing the acrolein over a second mixed metal oxide catalyst in the presence of oxygen and water to produce the acrylic acid. The first mixed metal oxide catalyst comprises oxides of tungsten and zirconium. The second mixed metal oxide catalyst comprises a solid catalyst having the empirical formula A.sub.aV.sub.bN.sub.cX.sub.dO.sub.e wherein A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo and W, N is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Te and Se, and X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Ti, Al, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pt, Bi, B, In, Ce, As, Ge, Sn, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra, Hf, Pb, P, Pm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Au, Ag, Re, Pr, Zn, Ga, Pd, Ir, Nd, Y, Sm, Tb, Br, Cu, Sc, CI, F and I. A, V, N and X are present in such amounts that the atomic ratio of A:V:N:X is a:b:c:d wherein a=1, b=0.1 to 2, c=0.1 to 1, d=0.01 to 1 and e is dependent on the oxidation state of the other elements in the second mixed metal oxide catalyst.

A system for mitigating pollution from hydraulic fracturing uses a laser reduction liquid (LRL) unit operable to receive flow back from a wellhead. The LRL unit includes a CO.sub.2 filtration unit for filtering CO.sub.2 from the flow back, a CO.sub.2 purification unit for purifying the filtered CO.sub.2, and a reaction unit including Q-driven ND:YAG laser and a reaction site at which a pulsed laser beam from the Q-driven ND:YAG laser is directed at the purified CO.sub.2 in the presence of a photocatalyst to thereby convert the CO.sub.2 into methanol and water.

The invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene by oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethane, comprising: a) supplying ethane and oxygen to a first ODH zone which is formed by multiple reactor tubes containing a mixed metal oxide ODH catalyst bed; b) contacting the ethane and oxygen with the catalyst resulting in multiple effluent streams, wherein the multiple reactor tubes are cooled by a coolant; c) mixing at least a portion of the multiple effluent streams from step b) resulting in a mixture comprising ethylene, unconverted ethane and unconverted oxygen; d) supplying at least a portion of the mixture from step c) to a second ODH zone containing a mixed metal oxide ODH catalyst bed; e) contacting at least a portion of the mixture from step c) with the catalyst in the second ODH zone resulting in a stream comprising ethylene and unconverted ethane.