本研究利用γ型三氧化二鋁(γ-Al2O3)作為擔體(Support)，合成各種不同金屬觸媒進行觸媒濕式過氧化反應(Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation，CWPO)，處理含酚廢水中難分解之有機物，進行廢水處理效能評估，與鑑定觸媒之反應變化。
不同金屬以γ型三氧化二鋁作為擔體合成之觸媒，在添加過氧化氫之狀態下處理含酚廢水，其中以銅合成之觸媒作為觸發過氧化氫生成氫氧自由基(free radicals，OH˙)效果最佳。添加觸媒處理含酚廢水可大幅降低反應之活化能，並可在一般環境下即能有效的處理難分解之含酚廢水。
在擔體銅觸媒處理含酚廢水方面，由研究結果指出，擔體銅觸媒確實能在維持高催化活性下，有效的降低活性觸媒之製作成本與操作成本。經由實際反應評估以Ce-Cu含浸量分別15-5%之觸媒催化活性最佳，而只單獨添加擔體觸媒或過氧化氫之反應，對酚之氧化幾乎不具任何活性。當以0.25g/L 15-5% wt Ce-Cu/γ-Al2O3觸媒、過氧化氫1200ppm，在反應溫度40℃，酚濃度500mg/L之反應情況下，對酚之去除效率在3小時內可達90%以上，化學需氧量(Chemical Oxygen Demand,COD)亦可達50%以上。使用過後之銅觸媒經再生後，重複測試並與新鮮觸媒作比較，結果顯示在同樣的操作條件下，催化效率明顯降低，但其耐用性仍屬不錯。
銅離子溶出之問題方面，新鮮觸媒於初次反應時溶出部分銅離子，經再生後銅離子與擔體結構性更加穩定，僅溶出微量銅離子，對於新鮮觸媒溶出之少頂匟髐l尚須再進一步尋求後續之處理，與注意法規規範之範圍及尋求更適宜之煅燒程序與方法增強銅離子與擔體結構性降低銅離子之溶出量。對於再生觸媒活性降低原因，可能是因銅離子溶出，或者是觸媒反應過後，表面積碳而影響再生後之催化活性，尚須再進一步尋求更適宜之再生程序與方法，使再生後觸媒之活性升高。
本研究之最適合操作條件為:
擔體觸媒添加量: 0.25g/L~0.5g/L;過氧化氫添加量800~1200ppm;
反應操作溫度: 40~60℃; pH值控制在:3~5間。 Catalysts with various metals supported on γ-Al2O3 were used to implement the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of phenolic wastwater. The performance was evaluated and the catalytst was characterized. For the catalytsts used, the Cu/γ-Al2O3 performed best. Using Cu/γ-Al2O3, activation energy of phenol oxidation can be noticeably lowed, rendering to milder operating conditions and lower cost. Blank tests revealed that with only H2O2 or catalytsts, rate of phenol oxidation was negligible. On the other hand, at the conditions of 0.25 g/L 15-5% wt Ce-Cu/γ-Al2O3 catalytsts, 1200ppm H2O2 and 40℃reaction temperature, 500mg/L phenol could attain 90% phenol coversion and 50% COD removal after 3 hours CWPO reaction. Note that activity of regenerated catalytsts is lower than that of fresh one, may be caused by the deposit of carbonaceous compounds and leaching of active Cu2+ ion. Nevertheless, regeneration of used catalytst can partly remove the deposited carbon and leaching of Cu2+ ion is singnifcatly reduced when the regenerated catalytst was used . Cataysis via leached Cu2+ can not be ruled out. In this study,the suitable operating conditions are concluded as follows:
catalytst loading: 0.25g/L~0. 5g/L; H2O2 loading: 800~1200ppm;
reaction temperature:40~60℃;pH valuve:3~5
