The aqueous degradation of butylated hydroxyanisole by UV/S2O8(2-): study of reaction mechanisms via dimerization and mineralization

Activation of persulfate by homogeneous and heterogeneous iron catalyst to degrade chlortetracycline in aqueous solution

This study investigates the removal of chlortetracycline (CTC) antibiotic using sulfate radical-based oxidation process. Sodium persulfate (PS) was used as a source to generate sulfate radicals by homogeneous (Fe²⁺) and heterogeneous (zero valent iron, ZVI) iron as a catalyst. Increased EDTA concentration was used to break the CTC-Fe metal complexes during CTC estimation. The influence of various parameters, such as PS concentration, iron (Fe²⁺ and ZVI) concentration, PS/iron molar ratio, and pH were studied and optimum conditions were reported. CTC removal was increased with increasing concentration of PS and iron at an equal molar ratio of PS/Fe²⁺ and PS/ZVI processes. PS/Fe²⁺ and PS/ZVI oxidation processes at 1:2 (500 μM PS and 1000 μM) molar ratio showed 76% and 94% of 1 μM CTC removal in 2 h. Further increased molar ratio 1:2 onwards, PS/Fe²⁺ process showed a slight increase in CTC degradation whereas in PS/ZVI process showed similar degradation to 1:2 (PS/Fe) ratio at constant PS 500 μM concentration. Slower activation of persulfate which indirectly indicates the slower generation of sulfate radicals in PS/ZVI process showed higher degradation efficiency of CTC. The detected transformation products and their estrogenicity results stated that sulfate radicals seem to be efficient in forming stable and non-toxic end products.

Catalytic Removal of Aqueous Contaminants on N-Doped Graphitic Biochars: Inherent Roles of Adsorption and Nonradical Mechanisms

Environmentally friendly and low-cost catalysts are important for the rapid mineralization of organic contaminants in powerful advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). In this study, we reported N-doped graphitic biochars (N-BCs) as low-cost and efficient catalysts for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation and the degradation of diverse organic pollutants in water treatment, including Orange G, phenol, sulfamethoxazole, and bisphenol A. The biochars at high annealing temperatures (>700 °C) presented highly graphitic nanosheets, large specific surface areas (SSAs), and rich doped nitrogen. In particular, N-BC derived at 900 °C (N-BC900) exhibited the highest degradation rate, which was 39-fold and 6.5-fold of that on N-BC400 and pristine biochar, respectively, and the N-BC900 surpassed most popular metal or nanocarbon catalysts. Different from the radical-based oxidation in N-BC400/PDS via the persistent free radicals (PFRs), singlet oxygen and nonradical pathways (surface-confined activated persulfate-carbon complexes) were discovered to dominate the oxidation processes in N-BC900/PDS. Moreover, the adsorption of organics was determined to be the key step determining reaction rate, revealing that the pre-adsorption of reactants significantly accelerated the nonradical oxidation pathway. This study not only provides robust and cheap carbonaceous materials for environmental remediation but also enables the first insight into the graphitic biochar-based nonradical catalysis.

Rapid Ferric Transformation by Reductive Dissolution of Schwertmannite for Highly Efficient Catalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B

In this study, reductive dissolution of iron oxides was considered for the acceleration of the transformation from Fe(III) to Fe(II) to improve the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) by potassium persulfate (PS) activation on schwertmannite. The addition of hydroxylamine (HA) showed an enhancement effect on the degradation at pH 3 and 5, but insignificant efficiency of the addition was obtained at pH 9. The surface reduction from Fe(III)-OH to Fe(II)-OH by HA was considered dominant for the acceleration of PS activation through the reductive dissolution process, and the hydroxyl and sulfate radicals generated by the decomposition of surface complexes were main primary reactive oxidants that contributed to the degradation of RhB.

Stabilized landfill leachate treatment by coagulation-flocculation coupled with UV-based sulfate radical oxidation process

In this work, the feasibility of coagulation-flocculation coupled with UV-based sulfate radical oxidation process (UV/SRAOP) in the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of stabilized landfill leachate (SLL) was evaluated. For coagulation-flocculation, ferric chloride (FeCl₃) was used as the coagulant. The effect of initial pH of SLL and COD:FeCl₃ ratio on the COD removal was evaluated. The result revealed that COD:FeCl₃ ratio of 1:1.3 effectively removed 76.9% of COD at pH 6. The pre-treated SLL was then subjected to UV/SRAOP treatment. For UV/SRAOP, the sulfate radical (SR) was generated using UV-activated persulfate (UV/PS) and peroxymonosulfate (UV/PMS). The dosage of oxidant and reaction time were found to be the main parameters that influence the efficiency of COD removal. On the other hand, the effect of initial pH (3-7) and the type of oxidant (PS and PMS) was found to have no significant influence on COD removal efficiency. At optimum conditions, approximately 90.9 and 91.5% of COD was successfully removed by coagulation-flocculation coupled with UV/PS and UV/PMS system, respectively. Ecotoxicity study using zebrafish showed a reduction in toxicity of SLL from 10.1 to 1.74 toxicity unit (TU) after coagulation-flocculation. The TU remained unchanged after UV/PS treatment but slightly increased to 1.80 after UV/PMS treatment due to the presence of residual sulfate ion in the treated effluent. In general, it can be concluded that coagulation-flocculation coupled with UV/SRAOP could be a potential water treatment method for SLL treatment.

Photodegradation of sulfasalazine and its human metabolites in water by UV and UV/peroxydisulfate processes

The widespread occurrence of pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in natural waters has raised great concerns about their potential risks on human health and ecological systems. This study systematically investigates the degradation of sulfasalazine (SSZ) and its two human metabolites, sulfapyridine (SPD) and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), by UV and UV/peroxydisulfate (UV/PDS) processes. Experimental results show that SPD and 5-ASA were readily degraded upon UV 254 nm direct photolysis, with quantum yields measured to be (8.6 ± 0.8) × 10^-3 and (2.4 ± 0.1) × 10^-2 mol Einstein^-1, respectively. Although SSZ was resistant to direct UV photolysis, it could be effectively removed by both UV/H₂O₂ and UV/PDS processes, with fluence-based pseudo-first-order rate constants determined to be 0.0030 and 0.0038 cm² mJ^-1, respectively. Second-order rate constant between SO₄^•- and SSZ was measured as (1.33 ± 0.01) × 10⁹ M^-1s^-1 by competition kinetic method. A kinetic model was established for predicting the degradation rate of SSZ in the UV/PDS process. Increasing the dosage of PDS significantly enhanced the degradation of SSZ in the UV/PDS process, which can be well predicted by the developed kinetic model. Natural water constituents, such as natural organic matter (NOM) and bicarbonate (HCO₃^-), influenced the degradation of SSZ differently. The azo functional group of SSZ molecule was predicted as the reactive site susceptible to electrophilic attack by SO₄^•- by frontier electron densities (FEDs) calculations. Four intermediate products arising from azo bond cleavage and SO₂ extrusion were identified by solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS). Based on the products identified, detailed transformation pathways for SSZ degradation in the UV/PDS system were proposed. Results reveal that UV/PDS could be an efficient approach for remediation of water contaminated by SSZ and its metabolites.

Application of peroxymonosulfate-ozone advanced oxidation process for simultaneous waste-activated sludge stabilization and dewatering purposes: A comparative study

In this study, the efficiency of the Peroxymonosulfate-ozone (PMS+O₃) advanced oxidation process in lab scale by the aim of stabilization and dewatering the biological excess sludge was investigated and the results were compared with persulfate-ozone (PS+O₃), hydrogen peroxide-ozone (H₂O₂+O₃) and ozonation (O₃) processes. The results show that the PMS+O₃ is more effective than other mentioned procedures. Therefore, under optimized conditions (pH = 11, PMS/O₃ = 0.06 and Dose O₃ = 12.5 mmol), VS (Volatile solids) and fecal coliforms reduced respectively 42% and 89% after 60 min and the stabilized sludge in term of pathogen reduction requirements was class B. Furthermore, time to filter (TTF) of sludge decreased 70% relative to the raw sludge. In order to demonstrate the dewatering conditions' improvement, the variations of particle size distribution, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and zeta potential were evaluated. Overall, the results show that the PMS+O₃ has the capability of stabilizing and dewatering the sludge simultaneously.

Metal- and photocatalyst-free visible-light-promoted regioselective selenylation of coumarin derivatives via oxidation-induced C–H functionalization

A visible-light-promoted approach for the regioselective selenylation of 4-amino substituted coumarins has been initially realized under metal- and photocatalyst-free conditions at room temperature.

Degradation of sulfolane using activated persulfate with UV and UV-Ozone

This study investigates the degradation of sulfolane in aqueous system by (NH₄)₂S₂O₈/UVC and (NH₄)₂S₂O₈/O₃/UVC. While bubbling O₃ significantly decreased the reaction time, the experimental results in both cases were consistent: firstly, the degradation of sulfolane followed pseudo-first order kinetic models, secondly, the reaction rates were affected by persulfate dosages, UV light intensity, initial pH and concentration of carbonate/bicarbonate present. Low concentration of chloride (less then 100 ppm) had no effect on the reaction rate. Application of (NH₄)₂S₂O₈/O₃/UVA for degradation of sulfolane was also investigated. It was found that for higher sulfolane degradation kinetics, higher concentrations of persulfate was required under UVA irradiation. Finally, (NH₄)₂S₂O₈/UVC was evaluated for its applicability for degradation of sulfolane in groundwater samples.

Degradation of diclofenac by UV-activated persulfate process: Kinetic studies, degradation pathways and toxicity assessments

Diclofenac (DCF) is the frequently detected non-steroidal pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. In this study, the degradation of DCF was evaluated by UV-254nm activated persulfate (UV/PS). The degradation of DCF followed the pseudo first-order kinetics pattern. The degradation rate constant (k_obs) was accelerated by UV/PS compared to UV alone and PS alone. Increasing the initial PS dosage or solution pH significantly enhanced the degradation efficiency. Presence of various natural water constituents had different effects on DCF degradation, with an enhancement or inhibition in the presence of inorganic anions (HCO₃^- or Cl^-) and a significant inhibition in the presence of NOM. In addition, preliminary degradation mechanisms and major products were elucidated using LC-MS/MS. Hydroxylation, decarbonylation, ring-opening and cyclation reaction involving the attack of SO₄^•- or other substances, were the main degradation mechanism. TOC analyzer and Microtox bioassay were employed to evaluate the mineralization and cytotoxicity of solutions treated by UV/PS at different times, respectively. Limited elimination of TOC (32%) was observed during the mineralization of DCF. More toxic degradation products and their related intermediate species were formed, and the UV/PS process was suitable for removing the toxicity. Of note, longer degradation time may be considered for the final toxicity removal.

On the kinetics of organic pollutant degradation with Co2+/peroxymonosulfate process: When ammonium meets chloride

A large amount of chloride and ammonium ions were produced and released from industrial processes with non-biodegradable organic pollutants to affect efficiencies of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Here, the influences of chloride and ammonium ions on Co/peroxymonosulfate (Co/PMS) reaction system, a widely used AOPs to produce sulfate radicals, were investigated by examining the degradation efficiency of an azo dye (Acid Orange 7, AO7). The experimental results showed that a significant decrease in the degradation rate of AO7 was observed in the presence of NH₄⁺, while a dual effect of chloride on AO7 bleaching appeared. The presence of NH₄Cl was unfavorable for AO7 degradation at low concentration (<20 mM), whereas further addition of NH₄Cl (>20 mM) apparently accelerated AO7 discoloration rate. The apparent effects of the two co-existing inorganic ions were determined by roles of the dominating ions at varied molar ratio of [NH₄⁺]/[Cl^-]. The present study may have technical implications for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing diverse ions in practice.

Efficiency evaluation of the membrane/AOPs for paper mill wastewater treatment

The treatment of pulp and paper mill wastewater by combining an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) was investigated at a bench scale. In the present study, the effects of impressive parameters on membrane fouling such as CaCl₂ (mg/L), pH, and temperature (°C) were studied using response surface methodology (RSM). According to the results yielded, at the temperature of 45°C, pH of 10 and CaCl₂ concentration of 400 mg/L, the fouling reached its minimum (32%). Therefore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses showed that the average thickness of cake layer on the UF surface decreased from approximately 75.37 µm to 11.38 µm by optimizing the operating conditions. The results showed the UF permeate quality is not sufficient. Thus, AOPs applied for permeate. In this way, the performance of sulfate and hydroxyl radicals, generated by the activation of oxidants, such as persulfate ([Formula: see text]) and H₂O₂, by Fe(II) for removal efficiencies was examined. Accordingly, under the optimum conditions of Filtration/Fenton ([H₂O₂] = 15 mM, [Fe(II)] = 6 mM, pH = 3), the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), UV₂₅₄, and UV₂₈₀ was 95.02%, 86.74%, and 87.08%, respectively. This is while, in the optimum conditions of Filtration/[Formula: see text]/Fe(II) ([[Formula: see text]] = 7 mM, [Fe(II)] = 2 mM and pH = 6), the removal efficiency of COD, UV₂₅₄, and UV₂₈₀ reached 94.96%, 92.04%, and 90.16%, respectively. This is indicative of the fact that the process of Filtration/[Formula: see text]/Fe(II), with a lower oxidant and catalyst concentration and pH close to the neutral range is more efficient than that of Filtration/Fenton.

Kinetics and Mechanism of Ultrasonic Activation of Persulfate: An in Situ EPR Spin Trapping Study

Ultrasound (US) was shown to activate persulfate (PS) providing an alternative activation method to base or heat as an in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) method. The kinetics and mechanism of ultrasonic activation of PS were examined in aqueous solution using an in situ electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin trapping technique and radical trapping with probe compounds. Using the spin trap, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO), hydroxyl radical (^•OH) and sulfate radical anion (SO₄^•-) were measured from ultrasonic activation of persulfate (US-PS). The yield of ^•OH was up to 1 order of magnitude greater than that of SO₄^•-. The comparatively high ^•OH yield was attributed to the hydrolysis of SO₄^•- in the warm interfacial region of cavitation bubbles formed from US. Using steady-state approximations, the dissociation rate of PS in cavitating bubble systems was determined to be 3 orders of magnitude greater than control experiments without sonication at ambient temperature. From calculations of the interfacial volume surrounding cavitation bubbles and using the Arrhenius equation, an effective mean temperature of 340 K at the bubble-water interface was estimated. Comparative studies using the probe compounds tert-butyl alcohol and nitrobenzene verified the bubble-water interface as the location for PS activation by high temperature with ^•OH contributing a minor role in activating PS to SO₄^•-. The mechanisms unveiled in this study provide a basis for optimizing US-PS as an ISCO technology.

Heat-activated persulfate oxidation of methyl- and ethyl-parabens: Effect, kinetics, and mechanism

We evaluated the degradation of methylparaben (MeP) and ethylparaben (EtP), two representative parabens, using the heat-activated persulfate system in a laboratory. Both sulfate and hydroxyl radicals contributed to the removal of the two parabens. The degradations of both MeP and EtP were improved by increasing the heating temperature or persulfate dose in accordance with a pseudo-first-order reaction model. The oxidation efficiency of parabens was found to be pH-dependent; decreasing in the order pH 5.0 > 7.0 > 9.0. The presence of chloride, bicarbonate, or humic acid was found to inhibit the degradation of the two parabens to some extent because of competition for the reactive radicals, with humic acid having the most serious effect. Dealkylation of the methyl unit, decarboxylation of the carboxylic group, and subsequent hydrolysis are proposed to be involved in the degradation pathway of MeP. The results suggest that the heat-activated persulfate system might be efficiently applied in the treatment of paraben-containing water samples. This was also supported by the results of applying this system to treat a real water sample containing both MeP and EtP.

Activation of persulfate by Fe(III) species: Implications for 4-tert-butylphenol degradation

In this study, the activation of persulfate induced by Fe(III) species, including 5 kinds of iron oxhydroxides (IOs) and dissolved Fe³⁺ under dark condition were investigated. Ferrihydrite (FH) and akaganeite (AK) showed the highest activity in 4-tert-butylphenol (4tBP) removal. The 4tBP degradation rate constant decreased as the solution pH increased from pH 3.2 to 7.8 in FH/S₂O₈^2- system. However, the pH value had no significant effect on the 4tBP degradation in AK/S₂O₈^2- system. The degradation of 4tBP in Fe³⁺/S₂O₈^2- system was also performed to investigate the role of ferric species in persulfate activation. The pH dependency of 4tBP degradation rate was closely related to the speciation of Fe^III, whereas the Fe(H₂O)₆³⁺ was found to be the most active soluble iron complex form in the activation of S₂O₈^2-. 4tBP degradation was mainly due to the SO₄^- in IOs/S₂O₈^2- system, while SO₄^- and HO₂ both had great contribution on 4tBP degradation in Fe³⁺/S₂O₈^2- system. Further investigations showed clearly that 4tBP degradation efficiency was decreased significantly due to the trapping of SO₄^- by chloride. This finding may have promising implications in developing a new technology for the treatment of contaminated waters and soils, especially where Fe³⁺ species are naturally occurring.

A sulfate radical based ferrous–peroxydisulfate oxidative system for indomethacin degradation in aqueous solutions

The degradation of indomethacin (IM) by ferrous ion-activated potassium peroxydisulfate (Fe²⁺/PDS) was investigated.

Degradation of landfill leachate compounds by persulfate for groundwater remediation

In this study, batch and column experiments were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using persulfate oxidation to treat groundwater contaminated by landfill leachate (CGW). In batch experiments, persulfate was compared with H₂O₂, and permanganate for oxidation of organic compounds in CGW. It was also compared with the potential of biodegradation for contaminant removal from CGW. Persulfate was observed to be superior to H₂O₂ and permanganate for degradation of total organic carbon (TOC) in the CGW. Conversely, biodegradation caused only partial removal of TOC in CGW. In contrast, persulfate caused complete degradation of the TOC in the CGW or aged CGW, showing no selectivity limitation to the contaminants. Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) enhanced degradation of leachate compounds in both CGW and aged CGW with limited increase in persulfate consumption and sulfate production. Under dynamic flow condition in 1-D column experiments, both biodegradation and persulfate oxidation of TOC were enhanced by Fe₃O₄. The enhancement, however, was significantly greater for persulfate oxidation. In both batch and column experiments, Fe₃O₄ by itself caused minimal consumption of persulfate and production of sulfate, indicating that magnetite is a good persulfate activator for treating CGW in heterogeneous systems The results of the study show that the persulfate-based in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) method has great potential to treat the groundwater contaminated by landfill leachate.

Sulfate radical-based oxidation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics: Kinetics, mechanisms and effects of natural water matrices

Widespread occurrence of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs) in surface water, groundwater, soil and sediment has been reported and their remediation is essentially needed. Sulfate radical (SO₄^-) based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) are promising technologies for soil and groundwater remediation. In this study, the degradation kinetics, mechanisms, and effects of natural water matrices on heat-activated persulfate (PS) oxidation of FQs were systematically investigated. Experimental results clearly demonstrated that 92% of CIP was removed within 180 min (pH = 7, 60 °C). Higher temperature and lower pH facilitated the degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP). The piperazine moiety of CIP was identified as the reactive site for SO₄^- attack by comparison with substructural analogs, flumequine (FLU) and 1-(2-fluorophenyl) piperazine (FPP). A comparison of the degradation of CIP, norfloxacin (NOR), enrofloxacin (ENR) and ofloxacin (OFL) confirmed that the presence of cyclopropane ring also influence the degradation of FQs. Water matrix significantly influenced the degradation of CIP and ENR, and the degradation rate followed the order of Milli-Q water (pH = 7) > groundwater > artificial seawater > artificial surface water > lake water. Degradation products of CIP in different water matrix were enriched by solid phase extraction (SPE) and then analyzed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Detailed transformation pathways of CIP were proposed and were compared with respect to different water matrices. Four transformation pathways including stepwise piperazine ring oxidation, OH/F substitution, hydroxylation, and cyclopropane ring cleavage were proposed for CIP degradation. Results clearly show that the water matrix influenced the degradation of FQs appreciably, a phenomenon that should be taken into consideration when applying SR-AOPs for remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated by FQs.

Persulfate based pretreatment to enhance the enzymatic digestibility of rice straw

Oxidation induced by potassium persulfate was evaluated as an economic substitute for the Fenton-like reaction for the purpose of rice straw pretreatment in terms of temperature (80-140°C), potassium persulfate concentration (5-100mM) and process time (0.5-3h), an optimal pretreatment condition was identified: 120°C for 2 h with 75mM potassium persulfate concentration and yielded 91% enzymatic digestibility using 25.2FPU/g of biomass. Crystallinity index, SEM and SEM-EDS analyses revealed that biomass was indeed disrupted and components like silica were exposed. All this suggested that this persulfate-based pretreatment method, which is distinctively advantageous in terms of effectiveness and economics, can indeed be a competitive option.

Efficient degradation of carbamazepine by easily recyclable microscaled CuFeO2 mediated heterogeneous activation of peroxymonosulfate

Microscaled CuFeO2 particles (micro-CuFeO2) were rapidly prepared via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the micro-CuFeO2 was of pure phase and a rhombohedral structure with size in the range of 2.8±0.6μm. The micro-CuFeO2 efficiently catalyzed the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to generate sulfate radicals (SO4-), causing the fast degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ). The catalytic activity of micro-CuFeO2 was observed to be 6.9 and 25.3 times that of micro-Cu2O and micro-Fe2O3, respectively. The enhanced activity of micro-CuFeO2 for the activation of PMS was confirmed to be attributed to synergistic effect of surface bonded Cu(I) and Fe(III). Sulfate radical was the primary radical species responsible for the CBZ degradation. As a microscaled catalyst, micro-CuFeO2 can be easily recovered by gravity settlement and exhibited improved catalytic stability compared with micro-Cu2O during five successive degradation cycles. Oxidative degradation of CBZ by the couple of PMS/CuFeO2 was effective in the studied actual aqueous environmental systems.

In situ remediation of ortho-nitrochlorobenzene in soil by dual oxidants (hydrogen peroxide/persulfate)

The efficacies of catalyzed H2O2, activated persulfate, and catalyzed H2O2-persulfate processes for the degradation of ortho-nitrochlorobenzene (o-NCB) in soil were investigated. The application of catalyzed H2O2-persulfate process was promising, and after a careful adjustment of oxidants and activator doses, it demonstrated a considerable improvement in o-NCB degradation compared with activated persulfate process and catalyzed H2O2 process. The degradation of o-NCB in catalyzed H2O2-persulfate process was obviously influenced by the concentration of persulfate and H2O2, the molar ratio between persulfate and H2O2, the concentration of o-NCB, and initial pH. Degradation of o-NCB was obviously inhibited by the addition of tert-butyl alcohol, methanol, and phenol, suggesting that nitrobenzene was dominantly oxidized by HO· and SO4 (-)· generated in the catalyzed H2O2-persulfate process. The results from these studies demonstrated that the natural iron species present in soil could effectively facilitate the degradation of organic pollutants in the presence of H2O2 and persulfate.

Cobalt catalyzed peroxymonosulfate oxidation of tetrabromobisphenol A: Kinetics, reaction pathways, and formation of brominated by-products

Degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a flame retardant widely spread in the environment, in Co(II) catalyzed peroxymonosulfate (PMS) oxidation process was systematically explored. The second-order-rate constant for reaction of sulfate radical (SO4(-)) with TBBPA was determined to be 5.27×10(10)M(-1)s(-1). Apparently, degradation of TBBPA showed first-order kinetics to the concentrations of both Co(II) and PMS. The presence of humic acid (HA) and bicarbonate inhibited TBBPA degradation, most likely due to their competition for SO4(-). Degradation of TBBPA was initiated by an electron abstraction from one of the phenolic rings. Detailed transformation pathways were proposed, including β-scission of isopropyl bridge, phenolic ring oxidation, debromination and coupling reactions. Further oxidative degradation of intermediates in Co(II)/PMS process yielded brominated disinfection by-products (Br-DBPs) such as bromoform and brominated acetic acids. Evolution profile of Br-DBPs showed an initially increasing and then decreasing pattern with maximum concentrations occurring around 6-10h. The presence of HA enhanced the formation of Br-DBPs significantly. These findings reveal potentially important, but previously unrecognized, formation of Br-DBPs during sulfate radical-based oxidation of bromide-containing organic compounds that may pose toxicological risks to human health.

Disintegration of Waste Activated Sludge by Thermally-Activated Persulfates for Enhanced Dewaterability

Oxidation by persulfates at elevated temperatures (thermally activated persulfates) disintegrates bacterial cells and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) composing waste-activated sludge (WAS), facilitating the subsequent sludge dewatering. The WAS disintegration process by thermally activated persulfates exhibited different behaviors depending on the types of persulfates employed, that is, peroxymonosulfate (PMS) versus peroxydisulfate (PDS). The decomposition of PMS in WAS proceeded via a two-phase reaction, an instantaneous decomposition by the direct reaction with the WAS components followed by a gradual thermal decay. During the PMS treatment, the WAS filterability (measured by capillary suction time) increased in the initial stage but rapidly stagnated and even decreased as the reaction proceeded. In contrast, the decomposition of PDS exhibited pseudo first-order decay during the entire reaction, resulting in the greater and steadier increase in the WAS filterability compared to the case of PMS. The treatment by PMS produced a high portion of true colloidal solids (<1 μm) and eluted soluble and bound EPS, which is detrimental to the WAS filterability. However, the observations regarding the dissolved organic carbon, ammonium ions, and volatile suspended solids collectively indicated that the treatment by PMS more effectively disintegrated WAS compared to PDS, leading to higher weight (or volume) reduction by postcentrifugation.

Activated Persulfate Oxidation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in Groundwater under Acidic Conditions

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an emerging contaminant of concern due to its toxicity for human health and ecosystems. However, successful degradation of PFOA in aqueous solutions with a cost-effective method remains a challenge, especially for groundwater. In this study, the degradation of PFOA using activated persulfate under mild conditions was investigated. The impact of different factors on persulfate activity, including pH, temperature (25 °C–50 °C), persulfate dosage and reaction time, was evaluated under different experimental conditions. Contrary to the traditional alkaline-activated persulfate oxidation, it was found that PFOA can be effectively degraded using activated persulfate under acidic conditions, with the degradation kinetics following the pseudo-first-order decay model. Higher temperature, higher persulfate dosage and increased reaction time generally result in higher PFOA degradation efficiency. Experimental results show that a PFOA degradation efficiency of 89.9% can be achieved by activated persulfate at pH of 2.0, with the reaction temperature of 50 °C, molar ratio of PFOA to persulfate as 1:100, and a reaction time of 100 h. The corresponding defluorination ratio under these conditions was 23.9%, indicating that not all PFOA decomposed via fluorine removal. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer analysis results indicate that both SO₄⁻• and •OH contribute to the decomposition of PFOA. It is proposed that PFOA degradation occurs via a decarboxylation reaction triggered by SO₄⁻•, followed by a HF elimination process aided by •OH, which produces one-CF₂-unit-shortened perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs, C_n−1F_2n−1COOH). The decarboxylation and HF elimination processes would repeat and eventually lead to the complete mineralization all PFCAs.

Oxidation of Refractory Benzothiazoles with PMS/CuFe2O4: Kinetics and Transformation Intermediates

Benzothiazole (BTH) and its derivatives 2-(methylthio)bezothiazole (MTBT), 2-benzothiazolsulfonate (BTSA), and 2-hydroxybenzothiazole (OHBT) are refractory pollutants ubiquitously existing in urban runoff at relatively high concentrations. Here, we report their oxidation by CuFe2O4-activated peroxomonosulfate (PMS/CuFe2O4), focusing on kinetics and transformation intermediates. These benzothiazoles can be efficiently degraded by this oxidation process, which is confirmed to generate mainly sulfate radicals (with negligible hydroxyl-radical formation) under slightly acidic to neutral pH conditions. The molar exposure ratio of sulfate radical to residual PMS (i.e., Rct) for this process is a constant that is related to the reaction condition and can be easily determined. The reaction rate constants of these benzothiazoles toward sulfate radical are (3.3 ± 0.3) × 10(9), (1.4 ± 0.3) × 10(9), (1.5 ± 0.1) × 10(9), and (4.7 ± 0.5) × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1), respectively (pH 7 and 20 °C). On the basis of Rct and these rate constants, their degradation in the presence of organic matter can be well-predicted. A number of transformation products were detected and tentatively identified using triple-quadruple/linear ion trap MS/MS and high-resolution MS. It appears that sulfate radicals attack BTH, MTBT, and BTSA on their benzo ring via electron transfer, generating multiple hydroxylated intermediates that are reactive toward common oxidants. For OHBT oxidation, the thiazole ring is preferentially broken down. Due to competitions of the transformation intermediates, a minimum PMS/pollutant molar ratio of 10-20 is required for effective degradation. The flexible PMS/CuFe2O4 could be a useful process to remove the benzothiazoles from low dissolved organic carbon waters like urban runoff or polluted groundwater.

Oxidation of the odorous compound 2,4,6-trichloroanisole by UV activated persulfate: Kinetics, products, and pathways

The transformation efficiency and products of an odorous compound 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) at the wavelength of 254 nm in the presence of persulfate were investigated for the first time. The effects of water matrix (i.e., natural organic matter (NOM), pH, carbonate/bicarbonate (HCO3(-)/CO3(2-)), and chloride ions (Cl(-))) were evaluated. The second order rate constant of TCA reacting with sulfate radical (SO4(-)) was determined to be (3.72 ± 0.10) × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1). Increasing dosage of persulfate increased the observed pseudo-first-order rate constant for TCA degradation (kobs), and the contribution of SO4(-) to TCA degradation was much higher than that of HO at each experimental condition. Degradation rate of TCA decreased with pH increasing from 4.0 to 9.0, which could be explained by the lower radical scavenging effect of dihydrogen phosphate than hydrogen phosphate in acidic condition (pH < 6). NOM significantly decreased kobs due to the effects of radical scavenging and UV absorption with the former one being dominant. kobs decreased from 2.32 × 10(-3) s(-1) to 0.92 × 10(-3) s(-1) with the CO3(2-)/HCO3(-) concentration increased from 0.5 mM to 10 mM in the UV/persulfate process, while kobs slightly decreased from 2.54 × 10(-3) s(-1) in the absence of Cl(-) to 2.10 × 10(-3) s(-1) in the presence of 10 mM Cl(-). Most of these kinetic results could be described by a steady-state kinetic model. Furthermore, liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry at powerful precursor ion scan approach was used to selectively detect oxidation products of TCA. It was found that 2,4,6-trichorophenol (TCP) was the major oxidation product (i.e., the initial yield of TCP was above 90%). The second order rate constant between TCP and SO4(-) was estimated to be (4.16 ± 0.20) × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1). In addition, three products (i.e., 2,6-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone and two aromatic ring-opening products) were detected in the reaction of TCP with SO4(-), which also appeared in the oxidation of TCA in the UV/persulfate process. A tentative pathway was proposed, where the initial one-electron oxidation of TCA by SO4(-) and further reactions (e.g., ipso-hydroxylation and aromatic ring-cleavage) of the formed cation intermediate TCA were involved.

Nitrogen- and Sulfur-Codoped Hierarchically Porous Carbon for Adsorptive and Oxidative Removal of Pharmaceutical Contaminants

Heteroatom (nitrogen and sulfur)-codoped porous carbons (N-S-PCs) with high surface areas and hierarchically porous structures were successfully synthesized via direct pyrolysis of a mixture of glucose, sodium bicarbonate, and thiourea. The resulting N-S-PCs exhibit excellent adsorption abilities and are highly efficient for potassium persulfate activation when employed as catalysts for the oxidative degradation of sulfachloropyridazine (SCP) solutions. The adsorption capacities of N-S-PC-2 (which contains 4.51 atom % nitrogen and 0.22 atom % sulfur and exhibits SBET of 1608 m(2) g(-1)) are 73, 7, and 3 times higher than those of graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and commercial single-walled carbon nanotube, respectively. For oxidation, the reaction rate constant of N-S-PC-2 is 0.28 min(-1). This approach not only contributes to the large-scale production and application of high-quality catalysts in water remediation but also provides an innovative strategy for the production of heteroatom-doped PCs for energy applications.

Photodegradation of 4-tert-butylphenol in aqueous solution by UV-C, UV/H2O2 and UV/S2O8(2-) system

The photolytic degradation of 4-tert-butylphenol (4-t-BP) in aqueous solution was investigated using three kinds of systems: UV-C directly photodegradation system, UV/H2O2 and UV/S2O8(2-) system. Under experimental conditions, the degradation rate of 4-t-BP was in the order: UV/S2O8(2-) > UV/H2O2 > UV-C. The reaction kinetics of UV/S2O8(2-) system were thoroughly investigated. The increase of S2O8(2-) concentration enhanced the 4-t-BP degradation rate, which was inhibited when the concentration of S2O8(2-) exceeded 4.0 mM. The highest efficacy in 4-t-BP degradation was obtained at pH 6.5. The oxidation rate of 4-t-BP could be accelerated by increasing the reaction temperature and irradiation intensity. The highest rate constant (kobs = 8.4 × 10(-2) min(-1)) was acquired when the reaction temperature was 45 °C. The irradiation intensity was measured by irradiation distance, and the optimum irradiation distance was 10 cm. Moreover, the preliminary mechanism of 4-t-BP degradation was studied. The bond scission of the 4-t-BP molecule occurred by the oxidation of SO4(•-), which dimerized and formed two main primary products. Under the conditions of room temperature (25 °C ± 1 °C) and low concentration of K2S2O8 (0.5 mM), 35.4% of total organic carbon (TOC) was removed after 8.5-h irradiation. The results showed that UV/S2O8(2-) system was effective for the degradation of 4-t-BP.

Oxidation of Benzene by Persulfate in the Presence of Fe(III)- and Mn(IV)-Containing Oxides: Stoichiometric Efficiency and Transformation Products

Sulfate radical (SO4(•-)) is a strong, short-lived oxidant that is produced when persulfate (S2O8(2-)) reacts with transition metal oxides during in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) of contaminated groundwater. Although engineers are aware of the ability of transition metal oxides to activate persulfate, the operation of ISCO remediation systems is hampered by an inadequate understanding of the factors that control SO4(•-) production and the overall efficiency of the process. To address these shortcomings, we assessed the stoichiometric efficiency and products of transition metal-catalyzed persulfate oxidation of benzene with pure iron- and manganese-containing minerals, clays, and aquifer solids. For most metal-containing solids, the stoichiometric efficiency, as determined by the loss of benzene relative to the loss of persulfate, approached the theoretical maximum. Rates of production of SO4(•-) or hydroxyl radical (HO(•)) generated from radical chain reactions were affected by the concentration of benzene, with rates of S2O8(2-) decomposition increasing as the benzene concentration increased. Under conditions selected to minimize the loss of initial transformation products through reaction with radicals, the production of phenol only accounted for 30%-60% of the benzene lost in the presence of O2. The remaining products included a ring-cleavage product that appeared to contain an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde functional group. In the absence of O2, the concentration of the ring-cleavage product increased relative to phenol. The formation of the ring-cleavage product warrants further studies of its toxicity and persistence in the subsurface.

Fe0-activated persulfate-assisted mechanochemical destruction of expired compound sulfamethoxazole tablets

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) in compound sulfamethoxazole tablets (CSTs) can be degraded effectively by the Fe⁰-activated persulfate-assisted mechanochemical process.

Visible light-promoted C–H functionalization of ethers and electron-deficient arenes

Photocatalyst-free visible-light-mediated C–H arylation of ethers via C_(Sp2)–C_(Sp3) C–H functionalization involving hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) pathway.

Ultrasonic-assisted degradation of phenazopyridine with a combination of Sm-doped ZnO nanoparticles and inorganic oxidants

Pure and samarium doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by a sonochemical method and characterized by TEM, SEM, EDX, XRD, Pl, and DRS techniques. The average crystallite size of pure and Sm-doped ZnO nanoparticles was about 20 nm. The sonocatalytic activity of pure and Sm-doped ZnO nanoparticles was considered toward degradation of phenazopyridine as a model organic contaminant. The Sm-doped ZnO nanoparticles with Sm concentration of 0.4 mol% indicated a higher sonocatalytic activity (59%) than the pure ZnO (51%) and other Sm-doped ZnO nanoparticles. It was believed that Sm(3+) ion with optimal concentration (0.4 mol%) can act as superficial trapping for electrons in the conduction band of ZnO and delayed the recombination of charge carriers. The influence of the nature and concentration of various oxidants, including periodate, hydrogen peroxide, peroxymonosulfate, and peroxydisulfate on the sonocatalytic activity of Sm-doped ZnO nanoparticles was studied. The influence of the oxidants concentration (0.2-1.4 g L(-1)) on the degradation rate was established by the 3D response surface and the 2D contour plots. The results demonstrated that the utilizing of oxidants in combination with Sm-doped ZnO resulting in rapid removal of contaminant, which can be referable to a dual role of oxidants; (i) scavenging the generated electrons in the conduction band of ZnO and (ii) creating highly reactive radical species under ultrasonic irradiation. It was found that the Sm-doped ZnO and periodate combination is the most efficient catalytic system under ultrasonic irradiation.

Degradation of flumequine in aqueous solution by persulfate activated with common methods and polyhydroquinone-coated magnetite/multi-walled carbon nanotubes catalysts

In recent years, flumequine (FLU) has been ubiquitously detected in surface waters and municipal wastewaters. In light of its potential negative impacts to aquatic species, growing concern has been arisen for the removal of this antibiotic from natural waters. In this study, the kinetics, degradation mechanisms and pathways of aqueous FLU by persulfate (PS) oxidation were systematically determined. Three common activation methods, including heat, Fe(2+) and Cu(2+), and a novel heterogeneous catalyst, namely, polyhydroquinone-coated magnetite/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fe3O4/MWCNTs/PHQ), were investigated to activate PS for FLU removal. It was found that these three common activators enhanced FLU degradation obviously, while several influencing factors, such as solution pH, inorganic ions (especially HCO3(-) at 5 mmol/L) and dissolved organic matter extracts, exerted their different effects on FLU removal. The catalysts were characterized, and an efficient catalytic degradation performance, high stability and excellent reusability were observed. The measured total organic carbon levels suggested that FLU can be effectively mineralized by using the catalysts. Radical mechanism was studied by combination of the quenching tests and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis. It was assumed that sulfate radicals predominated in the activation of PS with Fe3O4/MWCNTs/PHQ for FLU removal, while hydroxyl radicals also contributed to the catalytic oxidation process. In addition, a total of fifteen reaction intermediates of FLU were identified, from which two possible pathways were proposed involving hydroxylation, decarbonylation and ring opening. Overall, this study represented a systematical evaluation regarding the transformation process of FLU by PS, and showed that the heterogeneous catalysts can efficiently activate PS for FLU removal from the water environment.

Nitrogen-Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide as a Bifunctional Material for Removing Bisphenols: Synergistic Effect between Adsorption and Catalysis

Nitrogen modified reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) was prepared by a hydrothermal method. The nitrogen modification enhanced its adsorption and catalysis ability. For an initial bisphenol concentration of 0.385 mmol L(-1), the adsorption capacity of N-RGO was evaluated as 1.56 and 1.43 mmol g(-1) for bisphenol A (BPA) and 1.43 mmol g(-1) for bisphenol F (BPF), respectively, both of which were about 1.75 times that (0.90 and 0.84 mmol g(-1)) on N-free RGO. N-RGO could activate persulfate, producing strong oxidizing sulfate radicals. The apparent degradation rate constant of BPA on N-RGO was 0.71 min(-1), being about 700 times that (0.001 min(-1)) on N-free RGO. In mixtures of various phenols, the degradation rate constant of each phenol was linearly increased with its adsorption capacity. A simultaneous use of N-RGO and persulfate yielded fast and efficient removal of bisphenols. The use of N-RGO (120 mg L(-1)) and persulfate (0.6 mmol L(-1)) almost completely removed the added bisphenols (0.385 mmol L(-1)) at pH 6.6 within 17 min. A mechanism study indicated that the adsorption enriched the pollutant, and the catalytically generated sulfate radicals rapidly degrade the adsorbed pollutant, accelerating in turn the adsorption of residual pollutant.