Lindane removal by catalytic hydrodechlorination

Lindane is an organochlorine pesticide, that has caused contamination of soil, water and air. This paper studies catalytic hydrodechlorination as a possible solution to the lindane problem in water streams. Several catalysts were tested. The effects of mass transfer and temperature was studied for a Ni-based and a Pt-based catalysts. A Ni-supported and a Pt-supported catalyst gave good results, but the best catalyst was Pd supported on active carbon, which provided 99% conversion in a few minutes at room temperature. Additional tests allow to discard adsorption instead of a catalytic effect. The amount of hexachlorocyclohexane compounds remaining as adsorbed on the catalyst surface was negligible.