CerOx™ process

An earlier study (NRC, 2001a) for the U.S. Army NSCMP concerned with the treatment of liquid neutralent wastes produced by NSCMP disposal operations examined two electrochemical processes, the silver Ag(II) process, which was developed by the firm AEA Technologies in the United Kingdom, and the cerium Ce(IV) (or CerOx ) process. Although the latter process was developed in the United States, the two processes are similar, and both are included here for completeness. A description of these two processes from the earlier NRC report follows ... 

The CerOx process is similar to the Ag(II) process except that it uses 0.8M Ce(IV) solution in 3-molar nitric acid at 100°C to oxidize and destroy organic compounds. Unlike Ag(II), Ce(IV) is stable. The Ce(IV) is produced and regener-... 

The CerOx process uses very few reactants, principally nitrate (which is recycled), nitric acid, and sodium hydroxide scrubbers to treat off-gases. The biggest cost is for electrical power to operate the electrolysis T-cells. (NRC, 2001a,... 

The CerOx process avoided some of the difficulties of the Ag(II) process in that cerium is much cheaper and less toxic than silver. However, the most serious disadvantage for the CerOx process, at least at the time of the report (NRC, 2001a), was that it was found to not be as mature a technology as the Ag(II) process, and it had never been tested with any neutralents. As with the Ag(II) process, it also uses large amounts of nitric acid and thus rated poorly in terms of pollution prevention criteria. 

The committee could not locate any information to indicate that either the Ag(II) process or the CerOx process had been developed significantly since 2001 in terms of their applicability to processing either stockpile or non-stockpile chemical agents or munitions. 

The committee considered two forms of electrochemical oxidation, the silver Ag(II) process and the cerium Ce(lV) process (the CerOx process). The Ag(ll) process has been advanced as a candidate for treating assembled chemical weapons but is probably not suitable for treatment of RRS neutralents because of their high chlorine content. Although Ag(ll) and Ce(IV) are more potent oxidizers than the chemical oxidants discussed above, electrochemical processes are less desirable for treating neutralent wastes because they generate large quantities of hazardous effluents and because corrosive effluents could cause operating problems. 

The CerOx process was initially developed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and patented by... 

Figure 7. Liquid phase treatment in the CerOx process.

Mediated electrochemical oxidation (MEO) is an ex situ treatment technology that uses electricity, acid, and a metal catalyst to destroy organic wastes at low temperatures and pressures. The proprietary CerOx Corporation MEO configuration uses cerium metal as a catalyst to oxidize organic waste into carbon dioxide and water. The process occurs in an acidic solution, typically nitric acid. The first step involves the generation of an oxidant at the anode, followed by the reduction of water or another chemical species at the cathode. This technology serves as a nonthermal alternative to incineration. 

Over the past 20 years, The U.S. Department of Energy s (DOE s) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed the patented MEO technology using cerium as a metal catalyst. CerOx Corporation holds as exclusive, world-wide license to market the proprietary, cerium-based MEO process. The first commercial CerOx system was sold to the University of Nevada in Reno. The technology is commercially available. 

CerOx [Cerium Oxidation] An electrochemical process for oxidizing organic materials such as pesticides in wastewater. Cerium ion is an intermediate. This is electrochemically oxidized to Ce4, which is the actual oxidant. 

Continuity Vendor likely to remain in operation and raw materials likely to remain available Fair. Technology provider (CerOx Corporation) is a small company that licenses the process. 

Tour of CerOx Corporation Electrochemical Cerium Process Hosts Dr. Steven Oberg (University of Nevada-Reno), Marty Scanlon, Thomas Neustedter, Fred CoppoteUi... 

---