Objectif The proposed project aims to study and develop new chemical methodologies for the degradation, mainly by dechlorination, of polychlorinated organic pollutants, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, biphenyls, and some polychlorinated pesticides. The interest in this type of investigation derives from the widespread awareness caused by health concerns related to such compounds present in the environment, and from the scarcity of practical, safe, and efficient methods for the detoxification of such substrates in the environmental objects. Another problem, which is addressed through research, is the utilisation or safe degradation of hazardous polychlorinated waste or the compounds which have been previously produced on the industrial scale such as PCBs, pesticides.The primary objective will be to develop methods for the detoxification of polychlorinated organics. The first proposed methodology is based on a multiphase catalytic system whereby the chlorinated aromatic compounds are hydrodechlorinated with hydrogen to yield the corresponding hydrocarbons. The peculiarity of this system is the use of a phase transfer agent which, coupled with a supported metal catalyst, allows the fast reduction of the substrates under very mild conditions. The second methodology relies on the use of heterogeneous catalysts in continuous-flow reactors, and promises to be applicable both to the reduction of aromatic and aliphatic chlorinated compounds. In this case the continuous-flow reactors are potentially useful for practical applications. The third detoxification methodology uses subcritical water as the reaction medium for the reductive dechlorination, and has the potential advantage that it can be easily scaled up at the industrial level. In addition, the environmentally benign methodology based on the photoinitiated degradation of POPs in continuous-flow systems also promises to contribute to the development of efficient detoxification methods.The secondary proposed task of the present project is the preparation of new heterogeneous and supported catalyst systems, which will be used for the hydrodechlorination reactions. The preparation of supported metal catalysts will be carried out by traditional chemistry and under sub- and supercritical water-flow conditions. Different metal catalysts (noble metal based or in composition with other metals) will be prepared based on various catalytic supports such as mono- and binary oxides, silica, alumina, zeolites. The use of sub- or supercritical water provides prospects for catalyst recovery and regeneration as well.The proposed research relies also heavily on two other aspects. First, it relies on the presence of efficient methods for the extraction of polychlorinated pollutants from environmental matrices, with all the associated technological problems. This aspect will be dealt with both by established methods (e.g. US-EPA methodologies), and by developing new extraction techniques based on the use of subcritical water. Second, it relies on the availability of experts in the field of the analysis of chlorinated pollutants analyses, and of the related analytical facilities. This aspect is covered by the presence of analytical labs, equipped with HRMS, dedicated to the trace analyses of chlorinated pollutants, such as dioxins.The research is subdivided in five tasks accordingly to the aims pursued by different chemical methodologies, extraction methods, catalyst preparation, and analytical measurements; each one implies the tight co-operation of the participating teams on both research and analytical bases. This co-operation will be carried out through the continuous exchange of researchers that would also provide the exchange of POP samples, catalysts, results, and methodologies. Programme(s) IC-INTAS - International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the independent states of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), 1993- Thème(s) 3 - Chemistry OPEN - OPEN Call Appel à propositions Data not available Régime de financement Data not available Coordinateur Consorzio Interuniversitario "La Chimica per l'Ambiente" (INCA) Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Dorsoduro 2137 30123 Venice Italie Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée Participants (4) Trier par ordre alphabétique Trier par contribution de l’UE Tout développer Tout réduire A.N. Severtzov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the RAS Russie Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Leninsky pr. 33 117071 Moscow Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University Russie Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Leninskie Gory 119899 Moscow Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée Russian Academy of Sciences Russie Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Leninski Prospekt 47 117913 Moscow Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée Technische Universität München Allemagne Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Weihenstephaner Steig 23 85350 Freising-Weihenstephan Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée