(See 10C for Learning Goals)
Before we start, remember that almost always these processes are combined in some way. Here we break them out for instructional purposes. For the slide shows, you want to right click and save as to your desktop, then look at the slides in the Normal View, since some of them have comments in the "notes view" below the slide. These often are needed to explain the slide. (If a slide does not make sense, check the notes.) If there is a link, however, you must change back to the Slideshow View for the link to work. When looking at the pictures from the links, try to understand how the process works. Some of the links have excellent explanations of the processes, and you should read these. Others are just pictures that I thought my interest you. Also, since I made these slides, Wikipedia developed a useful link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_processes which in turn links explanations of many the processes discussed in the slides. If you want more explanation than the slides - you may find what you need via wiki.
Microorganisms can metabolize many organic chemicals. They convert the chemicals to cell mass and/or convert it to carbon dioxide and water.
Here is a slide presentation. Biological treatment.
(Here we break thermal processes, incineration, away from physical processes and chemical processes.) Almost all real treatment processes use physical processes in some way. Here is a slide presentation on Physical Processes.
Thermal Treatment Slides. It is almost impossible to find a community willing to accept a MSW (municipal solid waste) incinerator in it, much less a hazardous waste incinerator. Most simple incinerators require large quantities of air, which leads to large quantities of exhaust gases. If these gases need to be filtered or treated, large volumes must be handled. Several schemes use a multistep process to first volatilize, or incompletely burn, the waste, then that gas is burned again.
Here are chemical treatment slides.