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Re‐Use and Disposal of Waste Acids
Author(s) -
Theilig Gerhard,
Müller Gerhard,
Bodenbenner Kurt
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
israel journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.908
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1869-5868
pISSN - 0021-2148
DOI - 10.1002/ijch.197500064
Subject(s) - chemistry , sulfuric acid , hydrogen chloride , hydrochloric acid , chloride , vinyl chloride , chlorine , electrolysis , organic chemistry , inorganic chemistry , waste management , electrode , electrolyte , copolymer , polymer , engineering
Hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid represent the main waste acid by‐products in chemical manufacture. Neutralisation and conversion to inert solids as methods of disposal are of limited applicability. A number of appropriate methods have been developed for acid recycling. Hydrogen chloride (as a major by‐product of organic chlorination reactions) can be converted to chlorine by oxidation processes or by electrolysis of muriatic acid. Hydrogen chloride itself can be put to use in the synthesis of methyl chloride, vinyl chloride, chloroprene. Sulfuric acid serves as cheap solvent, reaction medium, condensation agent, drying agent, and gives rise to diluted and contaminated waste acids. Regeneration techniques (water evaporation by various methods, separation of precipitated salts, oxidation of organic impurities) lead to acids of sufficient quality to be recycled to the process of their origin. Standard grade sulfuric acid can be made from waste acids by thermal degradation to sulfur dioxide which in turn goes back to the sulfuric acid plant.