Toward cleaner production of hydrogen peroxide in China

Industrial production of hydrogen peroxide by anthraquinone (AO) process in China was briefly introduced. The pathways for cleaner production of hydrogen peroxide were discussed in detail from the viewpoint of process development and design, these included the replacement of Raney-Ni catalyst by highly active and highly selective Pd/Al2O3 catalyst, the reduction of raw materials, steam and power consumption, the usage of high boiling point, low water-soluble and low toxic solvents, the regeneration of degradations, the proper treatment of waste gas, water and solids. Because of these innovations and improvements, the AO process with Pd/Al2O3 catalyst for producing hydrogen peroxide was certified as a cleaner production technology by the Chinese government. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.