Removal of phenolic compounds from aqueous solutions

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR REMOVING PHENOLIC SUBSTANCES FROM AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION WITH AN ABSORBENT CLAY SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AN ABSORBENT CLAY SELECTED FROM EMPLOYED TO DECOLORIZE AN ANIMAL OIL AND WHICH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO AT LEAST ONE COMBUSTION REGENERATION TO BURN OFF AND REMOVE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL DEPOSITED THEREON DURING SAID DECOLORIZATION OF AN INIMAL OIL, AN ABSORBENT CLAY WHICH HAS BEEN USED TO DECOLORIZE A VEGETABLE OIL AND WHICH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO AT LEAST ONE COMBUSTION REGENERATION TO BURN OFF AND REMOVE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL DEPOSITED THEREON DURING SAID DECOLORIZATION OF A VEGETABLE OIL, AN ABSORBENT CLAY WHICH HAS BEEN USED TO DECOLORIZE A PETROLEUM LUBRICATING OIL AND WHICH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO AT LEAST ONE COMBUSTION REGENERATION TO BURN OFF AND REMOVE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL DEPOSITED THEREON DURING SAID DECOLORIZATION OF A PETROLEUM LUBRICATING OIL, AN ABSORBENT CLAY WHICH HAS BEEN EMPLOYED TO REFINE GASOLINE AND WHICH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO AT LEAST ONE COMBUSTION REGENERATION TO BURN OFF AND REMOVE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL DEPOSITED THEREON DURING SAID REFINING OF GASOLINE, AN ACTIVATED CLAY WHICH HAS BEEN EMPLOYED FOR THE CATALYTIC CRACKING OF A PETROLEUM FRACTION TO PRODUCE LOWER BOILING HYDROCARBONS, WHICH ACTIVATED CLAY HAS BEERN SUBJECTED TO AT LEAST ONE COMBUSTION REGENERATION TO BURN OFF AND REMOVE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL DEPOSITED THEREON DURING SAID CATALYTIC CRACKING AND A SYNTHETIC SILLICA-ALUMINA CRACKING CATALYST WHICH HAS BEEN EMPLOYED FOR THE CATALYTIC CRACKING OF A PETROLEUM FRACTION TO PRODUCE LOWER BOILING HYDROCARBONS, WHICH CATALYST HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO AT LEAST ONE COMBUSTION RE GENERATION TO BURN OFF AND REMOVE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL DEPOSITED THEREON DURING SAID CATALYTIC CRACKING, AND THEREAFTER SEPARATING WATER FROM SAID ABSORBENT CLAY, SAID WATER HAVING A LOWER PHENOLIC CONTENT THAN THE WATER INITIALLY CONTACTED WITH THE ABSORBENT.