When chlorinated organics come into contact with the oxidation solution, hydrogen chloride is produced in addition to carbon dioxide and water. Nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous are converted to gaseous nitrogen, sulfate ions, and phosphate ions, respectively. Organic compounds are destroyed and metallic species dissolve in the oxidation solution. The ferric ions oxidize organics to carbon dioxide and are reduced to ferrous ions. Oxygen is used to oxidize ferrous ions back to the ferric state, thus regenerating the oxidant and carrying on the oxidation cycle.
Water is formed during the regeneration.
Since ferric ions are regenerated rather than consumed, the oxidation reaction can be considered to be catalyic in iron. During the demonstration, the unit will be operated 24 hours a day, five days a week. The unit will receive radioactively contaminated solids, such as paper, cotton, latex rubber, and polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride plastics. The unit will also accept liquid wastes, such as chlorinated solvents, paints and thinners, and cutting oils. Vapors from the primary vessel will be fed into the secondary reactor, which will destroy any unoxidized volatile organics and capture any volatile metals that escape the primary vessel.