**Removal of Phenolic Compounds from Water by Adsorption and Photocatalysis Removal of Phenolic Compounds from Water by Adsorption and Photocatalysis**

Eduardo Enrique Pérez Ramírez, Miguel de la Luz Asunción, Veronica Saucedo Rivalcoba, Ana Laura Martínez Hernández and Carlos Velasco Santos Eduardo Enrique Pérez Ramírez, Miguel de la Luz Asunción, Veronica Saucedo Rivalcoba, Ana Laura Martínez Hernández and Carlos Velasco Santos

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66895

### **Abstract**

[30] Oliveira, JGC. Theoretical study via CFD-computational and experimental study of the combustion of natural gas for liquid organic effluent treatment by applying the new tech-

[31] Baukal, Jr. Charles, E, Schwartz, RE. The John Zink combustion handbook. Boca Raton,

nology DICTT [Master of Science, Dissertation]. Recife, PE: UFPE; 2007.

FL: CRC Press; 2001, 354 p.

342 Phenolic Compounds - Natural Sources, Importance and Applications

Phenolic compounds are important industrial wastes, and are classified as hazardous substances contaminating groundwater resources. Therefore, the removal or diminish of these organics compounds in order to reach the permitted levels before discharging becomes a challenging. Several processes have been developed to remove phenolic com‐ pounds from waters, including electrochemical oxidation, redox reactions, membrane separation and photocatalytic degradation. Recently, tendency of phenolic compounds removal involves adsorption and photocatalytic process, using synthetic or natural par‐ ticles, such as carbon materials and clays. Actually, materials in nanometric scale play an important role in the processes previously mention due to their unique chemical and physical properties. In this book chapter, the first part shows the chemical properties of phenolic compounds that play an important role in the removal process. In the sec‐ ond part, different materials in macro, micro and nanosize used as adsorbents or pho‐ tocatalysts are reviewed. In addition, other removal processes of phenolic compounds as electrochemistry and redox reactions are included. The removal conditions in these process, such as pH, adsorbate and adsorbent concentration are analyzed and discussed. Furthermore, special emphasis is included in micro and nanocarbon materials, used as adsorbents or photocatalyst to remove phenol from water in recently researches.

**Keywords:** phenolic compounds, water pollution, removal methods, adsorption, photocatalysis

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© 2017 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,
