Environmentally-polluting nitrocresol values are removed from admixtures of nitroaromatic compounds comprised thereof, notably the media of nitration of aromatic compounds by reacting same with aqueous HNO.sub.3 /H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, by first intimately contacting such nitroaromatic compound admixtures with an oxidizing agent comprising hydrogen peroxide, javelle water, or mixture thereof, and thereafter with a neutralizing agent; the nitroaromatic aromatic compounds thus purified are conveniently catalytically hydrogenated into aromatic amines.