Product Recovery Though Ozone Oxidation Of Waste Liquor

The manufacturing of soda ash from Trona, a crystalline mineral composed of hydrate sodium bicarbonate carbonate, is a multi-step process that results in the production of a waste liquor that contains significant levels of organic contamination. US Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) regulations do not allow for disposal of this chemically rich liquor without extensive processing; consequently, manufacturers of soda ash must collect the waste liquor and store it in an environmentally acceptable manner. This paper reviews a chemical plant’s pilot success at converting the waste stream from their soda ash processing facility into a marketable product, by reducing the liquor’s total organic content (TOC) through ozone oxidation. The positive environmental impact and projected bottom line return on the investment in an ozone system are reviewed in detail.