Process for reducing the content of water soluble volatile organic compounds in a gas

1. A method for reducing content of at least one water soluble volatile organic compound present in a gas, said method comprising:

contacting said gas with an aqueous acidic oxidizing composition comprising H 2 O 2 and a metal catalyst in an absorption tower so as to at least partially dissolve said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound in said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition, said gas being introduced at a lower portion of said absorption tower and said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition being introduced at an upper portion of said absorption tower, said absorption tower being in fluid flow communication with a reactor tank disposed below said absorption tower; and

maintaining pH of said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition at a value of about 2.2 to about 2.6 within said reactor tank and recirculating said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition through said absorption tower, and submitting said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound and said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition to an UV radiation within said reactor tank by means of UV lamps disposed within said reactor tank, wherein said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound present in said gas is chosen from methanol, ethanol, aldehydes, ketones, organic acids, esters, and mixtures thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal catalyst comprises a metal chosen from Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, Ti, Cr, Ce, Zn, Pd, Mo, and mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound is chosen from methanol, ethanol, and aldehydes.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said UV radiation has an energy of about 4000 to about 22000 kJ per kg of said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound contained in the gas.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said metal catalyst comprises Fe 2+ ions.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said composition further comprises a sequestering agent that is oxalic acid.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound is methanol.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the metal catalyst concentration is at least 5 mg/L based on the total volume of the composition.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein said gas comprises methanol and formaldehyde.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition comprises HNO 3 .

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein said UV radiation has an energy of at least 4000 kJ per kg of said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound contained in the gas.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said method is effective for reducing at least about 90% of the content of said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound present in said gas.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein said composition further comprises a sequestering agent chosen from oxalic acid, citric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, glycine, nitrilotriacetic acid, salicylic acid, sulfosalicylic acid, triethylenetetramine, and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises a sequestering agent chosen from oxalic acid, citric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, glycine, nitrilotriacetic acid, salicylic acid, sulfosalicylic acid, triethylenetetramine, and mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the molecular ratio H 2 O 2 :metal catalyst is at least 10:1.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound is chosen from methanol, formaldehyde, ethanol, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetic acid, formic acid, ethyl acetate, and mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound is methanol.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein contacting said gas with said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition comprising H 2 O 2 and a metal catalyst in said absorption tower is carried out in absence of UV radiation.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein submitting said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound and said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition to an UV radiation within said reactor tank by means of UV lamps disposed within said reactor tank is carried out in absence of ozone.

20. A method for using an aqueous acidic oxidizing composition comprising contacting an aqueous acidic oxidizing composition comprising H 2 O 2 , a metal catalyst, and a sequestering agent chosen from oxalic acid, citric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, glycine, nitrilotriacetic acid, salicylic acid, sulfosalicylic acid, triethylenetetramine, and mixtures thereof, with a gas comprising at least one water soluble volatile organic compound so as to reduce a content of said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound in said gas, wherein said method comprises mixing said gas with said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition in an absorption tower free of UV lamps so as to at least partially dissolve said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound in said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition and to obtain a mixture, said absorption tower being in fluid flow communication with a reactor tank; submitting said mixture to UV radiation generated by UV lamps disposed inside said reaction tank, maintaining pH of said mixture, in said tank, at a value of about 2.2 to about 2.6, recirculating said mixture through said absorption tower, and wherein said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound present in said gas is chosen from methanol, ethanol, aldehydes, ketones, organic acids, esters, and mixtures thereof.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said metal catalyst comprises a metal chosen from Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, Ti, Cr, Ce, Zn, Pd, Mo, and mixtures thereof.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein said metal catalyst comprises Fe 2+ ions.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the sequestering agent is oxalic acid.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound is methanol.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the sequestering agent is oxalic acid.

26. The method of claim 20 , wherein said gas comprises methanol and formaldehyde.

27. A method for reducing content of at least one water soluble volatile organic compound present in a gas, said method comprising contacting said gas with an aqueous acidic oxidizing composition comprising H 2 O 2 and a metal catalyst in an absorption tower so as to at least partially dissolve said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound in said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition, said gas being introduced at a lower portion of said absorption tower and said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition being introduced at an upper portion of said absorption tower, said absorption tower being in fluid flow communication with a reactor tank disposed below said absorption tower; and

maintaining pH of said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition at a value of about 1.8 to about 2.2 within said reactor tank and recirculating said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition through said absorption tower, and submitting said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound and said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition to an UV radiation within said reactor tank by means of UV lamps disposed within said reactor tank, wherein said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound present in said gas is chosen from methanol, ethanol, aldehydes, ketones, organic acids, esters, and mixtures thereof.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said metal catalyst comprises a metal chosen from Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, Ti, Cr, Ce, Zn, Pd, Mo, and mixtures thereof.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein said metal catalyst comprises Fe 2+ ions.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein said composition further comprises a sequestering agent chosen from oxalic acid, citric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, glycine, nitrilotriacetic acid, salicylic acid, sulfosalicylic acid, triethylenetetramine, and mixtures thereof.

31. The method of claim 29 , wherein said composition further comprises a sequestering agent that is oxalic acid.

32. The method of claim 27 , wherein contacting said gas with said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition comprising H 2 O 2 and a metal catalyst in said absorption tower is carried out in absence of UV radiation.

33. The method of claim 27 , wherein said absorption tower is free of silica and quartz.

34. The method of claim 27 , wherein submitting said at least one water soluble volatile organic compound and said aqueous acidic oxidizing composition to an UV radiation within said reactor tank by means of UV lamps disposed within said reactor tank is carried out in absence of ozone.