Preface

A new method for generating reactive species to destroy toxic organic chemicals has been developed. This method reacts yellow phosphorus with O2, in moist air to produce species such as O,O3, PO, and PO2, which are capable of reacting with various types of organics. Toxic organic com-pounds are converted to small molecular wight organic acids, aldehydes, and/or alcohols, while yel-low phosphonis is oxidital into phosphoric acid, which may be recovered as a valuable byproduct.This technique has ben demonstrated to be effective for destroying many types of toxic organiccompounds. including PAH, aromatic chlorides, amines, alcohols, and acids, nitro-aromatics,heterocyclic hydrocarbons, PCB, aliphatic chlorides and sulfides, dyes, and pesticides.