| abstract |
Disclosed is a method of substantially completely oxidizing material in an aqueous phase at supercritical temperatures and sub- or supercritical pressures by initiating the oxidation in the presence of small amounts of strong oxidizing agents that function to increase the initial reaction rate for the oxidation. The strong oxidizing agents suitable for use in the present invention comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of ozone (O3), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), salts containing persulfate (S2O82-), salts containing permanganate (MnO4-), nitric acid (HNO3), salts containing nitrate (NO3-), oxyacids of chlorine and their corresponding salts, hypochlorous acid (HOCl), salts containing hypochlorite (OCl-), chlorous acid (HOClO), salts containing chlorite (ClO2-), chloric acid (HOClO2), salts containing chlorate (ClO3-), perchloric acid (HOClO3), and salts containing perchlorate (ClO4-). |