Glossary of Terms |
O
- organic destruction
- a collection of waste treatment methods that involves the destruction of hazardous organics using chemical, electrochemical or photochemical oxidants other than oxygen or air as the primary means to change the chemical, physical, or biological character or composition of the waste. Moderate increases in temperature may be used to accelerate the rates of the organic destruction reactions but gas phase oxidation or pyrolytic degradation with or without combustion flames or plasma arcs are typically not included.
- oxidation
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a general chemical process for increasing the valence of an atom or compount
In waste treatment, a method to chemically convert hazardous contaminants to non-hazardous or less toxic compounds that are more stable, less mobile, and/or inert. The commonly used oxidizing agents are ozone, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorites, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide, which are typically used to treat organic waste.