The ability to reuse activated carbon, which is used to remove organic materials from water, is an important task. Activated carbon, which can be regenerated, is preferred due to environmental and economical reasons. Catalytic regeneration might be an alternative way to thermal regeneration, by reducing the regeneration temperature to 200-330^oC without damaging the activated carbon.

This research investigated regeneration of different kinds of organic compounds saturated on the activated carbon: aniline, thiophene, herbicide and a mixture of aniline, phenol and p-chlorophenol. 

            Thermoanalytic research in an inert environment using mass spectrometer demonstrates desorption of part of the molecules in their original structure, and desorption of another part without one or more of their functional groups. For example, aniline evaporates in its original structure in the first stage, and benzene evaporates in the second stage.

Regeneration of aniline was achieved at a temperature of 310^oC. thiophene regeneration was achieved at a temperature of 290^oC, Regeneration of a mixture containing aniline, phenol and p-chlorophenol was conducted in a temperature of 330^oC. The regeneration of herbicide adding a reduction stage before the oxidation stage and a regeneration efficiency of 80% was obtained after three regeneration cycles.

            This research shows that palladium can be used as a good catalyst for regeneration of various organic materials, for its ability to perform as a catalyst for both reduction and oxidation processes.