Oxidative pre-treatments can involve the use of oxygen at temperatures
of 260 C and pressures of 10 MPa. However, odour,
corrosion and high energy consumption restrict practical application
of this process [16]. Alternatively, powerful oxidants including
ozone, and peroxides peroxymonosulphate (POMS) and dimethyldioxirane
(DMDO), with the latter being the most promising
options. Table 6 lists the pre-treatment conditions and results of
various chemical methods investigated in the literature.