Environmental concerns about industrial release to water have been continually growing. In response, Johnson Matthey has targeted three key issues by applying our expertise in catalysts and catalytic technology, and our vision for cleaner and healthier world. 

Johnson Matthey's fixed bed catalysts technologies are designed to treat water streams effectively, economically and robustly in low input operation. These can be run as a standalone purification or combined with complimentary existing systems.  In the core process, a catalyst converts sodium hypochlorite to brine and a highly reactive oxygen atom, which enhances the oxidation of organic contaminants in the waste streams.

ACCENT

Organic contaminants removal from aqueous systems (COD destruction) 

Johnson Matthey’s ACCENT™ process offers a fixed bed catalytic solution to remove organic contaminants (pesticides, colour, non-biodegradable organic species, etc.) from aqueous streams. It combines high performance with low operating costs, thanks to its unique design. 

ACCENT process is versatile and can potentially treat any industrial aqueous stream in a continuous or batch mode. The process does not suffer from minimum flow rates or COD requirements, at difference to traditional chemical destruction technology.  

Industries where ACCENT has successfully been applied include (petro)chemicals, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, pulp and paper, soaps and detergents, dyes, synthetic resins, petroleum refining (spent caustic treatment), adhesives, rubber chemicals, food and beverage. 

The ACCENT technology, based on catalytically enhanced chemical oxidation, can be integrated in the different positions in the flowsheet (e.g., standalone, pre- or post-treatment or as recycle option). Catalyst performance and hypochlorite levels are guaranteed giving our customers a peace of mind.

HYDECAT

Hypochlorite destruction 

Johnson Matthey’s HYDECAT™ process offers a fixed bed catalytic solution to remove hypochlorite from chlorinated caustic streams. While chlorine is widely used a disinfectant and in chemicals manufacture, there is increasing pressure to reduce its and derivatives levels release to the environment. 

The positioning and the design of the HYDECAT units allow to tune the output of the process depending on the customer needs: 

• Total destruction - the traditional end-of-pipe application. 

• Partial destruction - usually followed by chemical polishing. 

• Integrated destruction - in the scrubber liquid recirculation loop. 

Catalyst performance and hypochlorite levels are guaranteed giving our customers a peace of mind.

ODORGARD

Odour removal 

Johnson Matthey’s ODORGARD™ catalysts are specially designed to reduce odours in aqueous streams. Odour may arise from the industrial processing of natural products such as food production, tanning, animal rendering and sewage treatment plants. Public and regulators are highly sensitive to odour nuisance and can be perceived as release of harmful chemicals. Even a 'pleasant' odour can be considered a nuisance if it is of high intensity or persistent. Recurring industrial odour incidents can result in fines and enforcement notices for non-compliance that can escalate to permanent site closures.