Emission of polychlorinated dibenzop-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) have exerted more and more pressure on humans and the environment. The catalytic oxidation has been a good selection for eliminating dioxin in industries. Carbon-based catalysts were great potential to alleviate dioxin because of their large surface area and low cost. Catalytic oxidation of dioxin over metal oxide catalysts M/AC (M = V, Fe, Cu, Mn) was evaluated, and V/AC showed the highest catalytic activity at 300 degrees C. The catalysts surface acid amounts were improved through loading metal oxide, especially the Lewis acid, which could promote DBF adsorption on catalysts. Combined in-situ FTIR with GC-MS, two different reaction paths were provided on V/AC and Cu/AC catalyst. The C-C bond of DBF was priority broken to be oxidized on V/AC, and main transformation of DBF was from benzofuran, phenol and maleic acid to final products. The C-H bond of DBF was firstly activated on Cu/AC, and large unstable quinone species were produced. The main transformation of DBF was from DBF- quinone, benzofuran, furan to final products on Cu/AC. In this work, detailed reaction paths and by-products of DBF oxidation were provided.
