Use of Catalytic Metal-Polyethylene Imine Complexes and Recovered Polymeric Sorbents for the Chemisorptive Removal of Polyphenols and Phenols

Investigations of the chemisorptive properties of polyethylene imine with respect to phenol compounds have been carried out. It has been established that in the reaction of polyethylene imine with phenol compounds a three‐dimensional polymer is formed by cross‐linking and precipitates. The use of transition metal‐polyethylene imine complexes accelerates the oxidation of intermediates of the quinoid type. Results have been obtained in studying the spectral characteristics of the products of the reaction of phenols and quinones with polyethylene imine and catalytic metal‐(II)‐polyethylene imine complexes. The kinetic study of this process has shown the reaction to obey a first‐order equation. The use of a recovered sorbent, the cystein‐pretreated anion‐exchanger AB‐17‐8, for the sorption and further oxidation of phenols and quinones by the substitution of a cystein anion containing an SH‐group for an ion‐exchange polymer anion has been studied. It is suggested to employ sodium sulfite instead of cystein in order to reduce the cost of treatment and analysis of waste waters with high phenol and quinone contents.