Abstract: In a partial oxidation process, the gaseous effluent from the generator is contacted with water to cool the synthesis gas and remove the solid particulates of ash and soot. The water from this operation is then mixed with an organic extractant and feed into a decanter to form aqueous and organic phases. The aqueous phase from the decanter is feed to a water flash separator to remove dissolved gases. The solids are removed from the water flash separator in an aqueous stream which is processed for removal of undesirable sulfides, cyanides, metals and particulate matter and steam stripped for removal of undesirable gases while retaining quantitites of ammonia therein. The overhead, an ammonia containing aqueous stream, is recycled for the control of pH in the quench scrubber vessel and the attendant equipment utilized to process the aqueous phase from the decanter.