Abstract: A method for accelerating the treatment of chemical wastes, particularly recalcitrant wastes such as spent caustic, from the oil, gas, chemical, and petrochemical industries, in which normally slow physical mass transfer of different fluid phases, as well as other chemical reactions, are facilitated. The method involves mixing together the different fluid phases and delivering the mixture to a reaction vessel in the form of an aerosol and froth which provides a large surface area between the phases. The aerosol and froth mixture is maintained and replenished for a period of time sufficient to effect mass transfer and stripping of the contaminants to a selected level of completion. The method enables the provision of more environmentally acceptable wastes for disposal.