Abstract: A wet oxidation process for oxidizing waste materials comprising dissolving a ruthenium salt in a reactant feed stream containing the waste materials, introducing the feed stream into a reactor, heating the reactor contents to an elevated temperature to effect deposition of a catalytic surface of ruthenium black on the interior walls of the reactor and maintaining the feed stream in the reactor for a period of time sufficient to effect at least partial oxidation of the waste materials.

Abstract: A cannister has an inhalation chimney mounted thereon, and includes an inlet and an outlet. Several layers of KO.sub.2 particles are contained in the cannister, separated by parallel screen assemblies, the upper two screen assemblies being connected by a vertical bypass screen near the cannister inlet. The layered KO.sub.2 bed is effective to remove CO.sub.2 from exhaled breathe, and generate oxygen for recharging the air prior to inhalation. The cannister inlet is connected by a flexible hose to the exhalation side of a breather mouthpiece, the inhalation side of the mouthpiece being connected to the upper end of the inhalation chimney. Communication between the cannister outlet and the lower end of the inhalation chimney is provided by a breather bag, fitted with a set of baffles to define a tortuous flow path for cooling the processed air. A collector mounted at the cannister outlet prevents liquid KO.sub.2 from entering the breather bag.