CLEANING UP METHOD OF WATER CONTAMINATED WITH ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUND

PURPOSE:To decompose the org. halogen compd. in water to an inorg. compd. efficiently by constituting a cathode of a specific metallic material and conducting electric current between electrodes. CONSTITUTION:The cathode is constituted of the material selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, silver, nickel, lead, iron, copper and alloy consisting essentially of copper and the current is conducted between the electrodes to decompose the org. halogen compd. in the water to the inorg. compd. The voltage and current conduction quantity to be impressed between the electrodes is not particularly limited and the conduction of electricity therebetween is preferably executed usually at 0.5-1,000V voltage and 0.1-1,000A/m current density. The treatment time varies with the current density and the concn. of the org. halogen compd. and is usually satisfactory with several seconds -several tens hours. The treatment to decompse the various org. halogen compds. to the inorg. compds. is possible by the above- mentioned method and is effective for decomposing particularly harmful aliphat. or arom. halogen compd. such as chloroform, trichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride and polyviphenyl chloride.