Schwertmannite as a new Fenton-like catalyst in the oxidation of phenol by H2O2

Remediation of arsenic-contaminated soil using nanoscale schwertmannite synthesized by persulfate oxidation with carboxymethyl cellulose stabilization

Schwertmannite (SCH) is a promising material for adsorbing inorganic arsenic (As). We synthesized SCH nanoparticles (nano-SCH) via a modified chemical oxidation method and investigated the application of nano-SCH for the remediation of As-contaminated soils. The production of nano-SCH was successfully prepared using the persulfate oxidation method with carboxymethyl cellulose stabilization. The spherical structure of the nano-SCH particles had an average hydrodynamic diameter of 296 nm with high specific surface areas (108.9 m2/g). Compared with SCH synthesized via the H2O2 oxidation method, the percentage of Fe3+ precipitation in nano-SCH synthesis increased from 63.2% to 84.1%. The inorganic As adsorption capacity of nano-SCH improved by 2.27 times at solution pH = 6. After remediation of heavily As-contaminated soils by using 5% nano-SCH, the leachability of inorganic As rapidly decreased to 0.01% in 30 d. Correspondingly, the immobilization efficiencies of inorganic As in soil reached >99.9%. The inorganic As fractions in treated soil shifted from specifically and nonspecifically bound forms to amorphous and crystalline hydrous oxide-bound fractions. After treatment with 5% nano-SCH for 60 d, soil pH slightly decreased from 5.47 to 4.94; by contrast, soil organic matter content increased by 20.9%. Simultaneously, dehydrogenase concentration in soil decreased by 22.4%-34.7% during the remediation process. These changes in soil properties and As immobilization jointly decreased microbial activity and initiated the re-establishment of bacterial communities in the soil. In summary, this study presents a novel and high-productivity technology for nano-SCH synthesis and confirms the high As immobilization effectiveness of nano-SCH in the remediation of As-contaminated soils.

Efficient degradation and mineralization of aniline in aqueous solution by new dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma

Aniline is a priority pollutant that is unfavorable to the environment and human health due to its carcinogenic and mutagenic nature. The performance of the dielectric barrier discharge reactor was examined based on the aniline degradation efficiency. Different parameters were studied and optimized to treat various wastewater conditions. Role of active species for aniline degradation was investigated by the addition of inhibitors and promoters. The optimum conditions were 20 mg/L initial concentration, 1.8 kV applied voltage, 4 L/min gas flow rate and a pH of 8.82. It was observed that 87% of aniline was degraded in 60 min of dielectric barrier discharge treatment at optimum conditions. UV-Vis spectra showed gradual increase in the treatment efficiency of aniline with the propagation of treatment time. Mineralization of AN was confirmed by TOC measurement and a decrease in pH during the process. To elicit the aniline degradation route, HPLC and LC-MS techniques were used to detect the intermediates and byproducts. It was identified that aniline degraded into different organic byproducts and was dissociated into carbon dioxide and water. Comparison of the current system with existing advanced oxidation processes showed that DBD has a remarkable potential for the elimination of organic pollutants.

Mechanistic and quantitative profiling of electro-Fenton process for wastewater treatment

Electro-Fenton (EF) process represents an energy-efficient and scalable advanced oxidation technology (AOT) for micropollutants removal in wastewaters. However, mechanistic profiling and quantitation of contribution of each subprocess (i.e., adsorption at electrode, coagulation, radical oxidation, electrode oxidation/reduction, and H₂O₂ oxidation) to the overall degradation are substantially unclear, resulting in difficulty in tunability and optimization for different treatment scenarios. In this study, we investigated degradation kinetics of a target micropollutant in an EF system. The contribution of all possible subprocesses was elucidated by comparing the observed degradation rate in the EF system with the sum of the kinetics in each subprocess. The results indicated that the overall degradation can be attributed to the synergistic action of the above-mentioned subprocesses. The radical oxidation accounts for 87% elimination, followed by electrode reoxidation/reduction of 7.7%. These results not only advance the fundamental understanding of synergistic effect in EF system, but also open new possibilities to optimize these techniques for better scalability. In addition, the methodology in this study could potentially boost the in-depth exploration of subprocess contribution in other Fenton-like systems.

Effect of pH regulation on the formation of biogenic schwertmannite driven by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and its arsenic removal ability

The effect of pH regulation on schwertmannite bio-synthesis and its As removal ability were investigated in this study. The total Fe precipitation efficiency in a conventional schwertmannite bio-synthesis system (CK) reached 26.5%, with a mineral weight of 5.21 g/L and a mineral specific surface area of 3.18 m²/g. The total Fe precipitation efficiency increased to 88.4-95.8%, the mineral weight increased to 17.10-18.62 g/L, and the specific surface area increased to 3.61-90.67 m²/g of five different treatments in which the system pH was continually adjusted to 2.50, 2.70, 2.90, 3.10, and 3.30 every 3 h, respectively. The very small amounts of schwertmannite were transformed to goethite when the system pH was periodically adjusted to 2.90, 3.10 and 3.30. The increased specific surface area of bio-schwertmannite was due to the contribution of mesopores, with most pores having a diameter of 2-20 nm. For actual As-containing groundwater (27.4 μg/L), the As removal rate was 52.9% for bio-schwertmannite collected from the CK system. However, the removal rate of As increased to 92.7-97.8% for minerals which were collected after five adjusted pH treatments. The outcomes of this study provide a fresh insight into the bio-synthesis regulation of schwertmannite, and have great significance for the treatment of As-containing groundwater.

Spherical ZVI/Mn-C Bimetallic Catalysts for Efficient Fenton-Like Reaction under Mild Conditions

The heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction has been receiving increasing attention for its inexpensiveness and high efficiency in water treatment. In this study, a novel strategy was proposed for preparing spherical ZVI/Mn-C bimetallic catalysts with a high activity for a Fenton-like reaction by using the ammonium alginate assisted sol–gel method coupled with a carbothermic reduction. The results showed that the obtained ZVI/Mn-C spheres had a uniform size, smooth surface and good sphericity, and the particle size of ZVI was limited to about 30 nm by the carbon layer. Among all catalysts, the ZVI/Mn-C-31 catalyst exhibited the highest phenol degradation efficiency in the Fenton-like process, and almost 100% phenol degradation efficiency was achieved under neutral pH at room temperature within 5 min. Moreover, the ZVI/Mn-C-31/H2O2 system showed a 100% degradation efficiency for removing a wide range of aromatic pollutants, including catechol, resorcinol and o-nitrophenol. Moreover, the radicals-scavenging experiment illustrated that the ·OH played a key factor in mineralizing the organic matters, and the ·O2− generated from the MnO-H2O2 system accelerated the conversion rate of ferric iron to ferrous iron. Due to the synergistic effects between ZVI and MnO, the ZVI/Mn-C-31 catalyst performed excellently in the Fenton-like reaction at an extended pH range.

Rapid Degradation of Chlortetracycline Using Hydrodynamic Cavitation with Hydrogen Peroxide

Chlortetracycline (CTC), which has been frequently detected in surface water, is generated primarily by the discharge of high-concentration CTC wastewater from pharmaceutical and livestock plants. The development of effective CTC degradation technology is critical. In this study, the extent of CTC degradation at 80 mg/L was investigated by combining hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The results indicate degradation ratios of 88.7% and 93.8% at 5 and 30 min, respectively. Furthermore, the possible mechanisms of CTC degradation were determined via HPLC-MS. The CTC degradation pathways include ring openings, C–N bond cleavage, demethylation, dehydroxylation, and desaturation in the sole system of HC, and a series of additional reactions, such as glycine conjugation and the cleavage of C–C double bonds, occurs in the binary system of HC + H₂O₂. Nevertheless, the treated water poses ecological risks and cannot be directly discharged into the environment. Therefore, HC + H₂O₂ treatment may be a rapid and effective primary method for the degradation of high-concentration CTC in pharmaceutical factories.

Development of a hydroxyl group-mediated biosynthetic schwertmannite as a persulfate activator for efficient degradation of RhB and Cr(VI) removal

Recently, sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) have shown broad potential for restoring the water environment. However, the application of SR-AOPs to simultaneously remove organic pollutants and Cr(VI) has rarely been reported. Herein, we developed a modified schwertmannite (Sch-PVA) synthesized via the mediation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in the introduction of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This modification significantly changed the morphology and structure of the schwertmannite (Sch). The specific surface area and the density of functional sites also increased. Sch-PVA significantly increased the persulfate (PDS) activation efficiency. Even in 100 mg L^-1 rhodamine B (RhB) conditions, 96.3% of RhB was eliminated by 0.5 g L^-1Sch-PVA and 6 mM PDS in 120 min. Moreover, excellent performance was exhibited over a wide pH range. The dissolution of the passivation layer facilitated the exposure of new adsorption and reduction sites, thereby enhancing the simultaneous removal of RhB and Cr(VI). Quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements verified that sulfate and hydroxyl radicals were generated. The hydroxyl groups on the Sch-PVA surface played a key role in the bonding with and the activation of PDS. In conclusion, Sch-PVA provides new insights into the catalyst application for simultaneous removal of organic pollutants and Cr(VI).

A stepwise processing strategy for treating highly acidic wastewater and comprehensive utilization of the products derived from different treating steps

A stepwise processing strategy, including initial neutralization, chemical mineralization, and complete neutralization treating steps, was developed to effectively treat and utilize the highly acidic wastewater derived from titanium dioxide production. Approximately 94.6% of SO₄^2-, 100% of Fe, and most of other metals were recovered to produce white gypsum, schwertmannite, and Fe⁰/Fe₃O₄@biochar (Fe⁰/Fe₃O₄@BC) composite in the corresponding treating steps. The resulting effluent with neutral pH and a small amount of metal ions could be discharged to general sewage treatment plant for further processing. Schwertmannite was applied as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst to stimulate H₂O₂ to produce active radicals for effective degradation and mineralization of methyl orange (MO) in solution. The MO removal of 100% and total organic carbon removal of 91.1% were achieved in schwertmannite/H₂O₂ reaction system, and schwertmannite exhibited good stability and reusability. Fe⁰/Fe₃O₄@BC composite was applied to remove Cr(VI), with the adsorption capacity of 67.74 mg g^-1. The removal of Cr(VI) using Fe⁰/Fe₃O₄@BC composite was a chemisorption process, including the adsorption of Cr(VI), reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), and co-precipitation of Cr(III)/Fe(III) oxides/hydroxides. This stepwise treating strategy is a promising technology for effective treatment of highly acidic industrial wastewater and comprehensive utilization of the related products.

Fe-based Fenton-like catalysts for water treatment: Preparation, characterization and modification

Fenton reaction based on hydroxyl radicals () is effective for environment remediation. Nevertheless, the conventional Fenton reaction has several disadvantages, such as working at acidic pH, producing iron-containing sludge, and the difficulty in catalysts reuse. Fenton-like reaction using solid catalysts rather than Fe²⁺ has received increasing attention. To date, Fe-based catalysts have received increasing attention due to their earth abundance, good biocompatibility, comparatively low toxicity and ready availability, it is necessary to review the current status of Fenton-like catalysts. In this review, the recent advances in Fe-based Fenton-like catalysts were systematically analyzed and summarized. Firstly, the various preparation methods were introduced, including template-free methods (precipitation, sol gel, impregnation, hydrothermal, thermal, and others) and template-based methods (hard-templating method and soft-templating method); then, the characterization techniques for Fe-based catalysts were summarized, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET), SEM (scanning electron microscopy)/TEM (transmission electron microscopy)/HRTEM (high-resolution TEM), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy)/Raman, XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy etc.; thirdly, some important conventional Fe-based catalysts were introduced, including iron oxides and oxyhydroxides, zero-valent iron (ZVI) and iron disulfide and oxychloride; fourthly, the modification strategies of Fe-based catalysts were discussed, such as microstructure controlling, introduction of support materials, construction of core-shell structure and incorporation of new metal-containing component; Finally, concluding remarks were given and the future perspectives for further study were discussed. This review will provide important information to further advance the development and application of Fe-based catalysts for water treatment.

Comparison of Cr(VI) Adsorption Using Synthetic Schwertmannite Obtained by Fe3+ Hydrolysis and Fe2+ Oxidation: Kinetics, Isotherms and Adsorption Mechanism

Good sorption properties and simple synthesis route make schwertmannite an increasingly popular adsorbent. In this work, the adsorption properties of synthetic schwertmannite towards Cr(VI) were investigated. This study aimed to compare the properties and sorption performance of adsorbents obtained by two methods: Fe3+ hydrolysis (SCHA) and Fe2+ oxidation (SCHB). To characterise the sorbents before and after Cr(VI) adsorption, specific surface area, particle size distribution, density, and zeta potential were determined. Additionally, optical micrographs, SEM, and FTIR analyses were performed. Adsorption experiments were performed in varying process conditions: pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and initial concentration. Adsorption isotherms were fitted by Freundlich, Langmuir, and Temkin models. Pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, intraparticle diffusion, and liquid film diffusion models were used to fit the kinetics data. Linear regression was used to estimate the parameters of isotherm and kinetic models. The maximum adsorption capacity resulting from the fitted Langmuir isotherm is 42.97 and 17.54 mg·g-1 for SCHA and SCHB. Results show that the adsorption kinetics follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Both iron-based adsorbents are suitable for removing Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions. Characterisation of the adsorbents after adsorption suggests that Cr(VI) adsorption can be mainly attributed to ion exchange with SO42- groups.

Chemical removal of m-cresol: a critical review

m-Cresol containing wastewater has generally become a globally environmental issue due to its refractory and high toxicity towards plants, animals and human being. The development of m-cresol related industries increases the risk of excessive m-cresol discharge, making high efficiency methods to treat m-cresol an urgent topic in both economic and environmental aspects. This review focuses on the chemical treatment methods of m-cresol wastewater, including chemical adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, electrocatalytic degradation and catalytic wet oxidation. The efficiency, cost and process optimization of different methods are discussed in detail. Chemical adsorption is convenient but has relatively low efficiency. Photocatalytic degradation is an easily operated technology with high efficiency, but the selection of catalyst is too limited and the cost of light source is relatively high. Electrocatalytic degradation is time-saving but energy-intensive, and operational difficulty brings a barrier to industrialization. Catalytic wet oxidation (CWO) is highly effective and easily modified, but the performance and stability of catalysts are still very moderate. Following this, the selection and application of different methods regarding the requirement of actual environment are analyzed. Finally, a perspective on the opportunities and development for efficient m-cresol removal method is given.

Enhanced oxidative removal of NO by UV/in situ Fenton: Factors, kinetics and simulation

A series of experiments on the oxidative removal of NO from flue gas using a novel in situ Fenton (IF) system was performed in the presence of ultraviolet light (UV). The comparison tests revealed that the in situ Fenton system facilitated by UV (UV/IF) has a better oxidation ability of NO than that of the IF system due to the photochemical effect on the generation of oxidative species like (OH). Both of the aforementioned oxidation efficiencies were higher than that of the conventional Fenton system (CF) depending on the premix of Fe²⁺ and H₂O₂ solutions, which attribute to the improvement of (OH) yield and valid utilization with continuous addition of fresh reagents and UV radiation. In follow-up experiments, the effects of UV power, gas flow rate, reagent temperature, Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ molar ratio, initial pH, initial concentration of NO and SO₂ and volume fraction O₂ and CO₂ on the oxidative removal of NO by UV/IF method were investigated respectively. Moreover, the results of kinetic analysis indicated that NO oxidation was confirmed to have a pseudo-first-order kinetics pattern. The rate constants decreased slightly with increasing liquid temperature, and then the apparent activation energy of NO oxidation reactions in the UV/IF system was calculated as -5.62 kJ/mol by the Arrhenius equation. Furthermore, the reaction mechanism and application prospects concerning NO oxidative removal by using the UV/IF system was speculated in brief. Finally, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations revealed that the improvement of axial and radial gas hold-up would enhance the gas-liquid contact and accelerate the oxidation reactions on the interface. In addition to reasonable control of process parameters, the optimization of reactor interior structure needs to be carried out via CFD simulation and experimental validation in future research, both are favourable to promote the NO oxidation efficiency and large-scale development of this technology.

Biosynthesized Schwertmannite@Biochar composite as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for the degradation of sulfanilamide antibiotics

Schwertmannite was successfully loaded onto biochar (Sch@BC) using a biosynthetic method. The physicochemical properties and structural morphology of Sch@BC were explored using XRD, SEM, BET, and XPS. The results showed that introducing biochar can effectively prevent the agglomeration of Sch. The catalytic activity of Sch@BC in the Fenton-like degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was also systematically investigated under different reaction conditions. Under optimum conditions ([SMX] = 10 mg L^-1, [H₂O₂] = 2.0 mM, Sch@BC = 1.0 g L^-1 and initial pH = 3.0), the removal efficiencies of the SMX and total organic carbon (TOC) were 100% and 45.9%, respectively, within 60 min of the reaction. The results of the radical scavenger effect and ESR studies suggested that the SMX degradation in the Sch@BC/H₂O₂ system was dominated by a heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction. The repeated use of Sch@BC for SMX degradation demonstrated its reusability and stability in Fenton-like reactions. There was also speculation about the degradation mechanism and pathways of SMX. Furthermore, under the same conditions, the removal efficiencies of sulfadiazine (SD) and sulfisoxazole (SIZ) under Fenton-like degradation in the Sch@BC system were 91% and 93%. The results provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the creation of a new catalyst using biochar as a support material for the degradation of sulfanilamide antibiotics.

Heterogeneous Fenton catalysts: A review of recent advances

Heterogeneous Fenton catalysts are emerging as excellent materials for applications related to water purification. In this review, recent trends in the synthesis and application of heterogeneous Fenton catalysts for the abatement of organic pollutants and disinfection of microorganisms are discussed. It is noted that as the complexity of cell wall increases, the resistance level towards various disinfectants increases and it requires either harsh conditions or longer exposure time for the complete disinfection. In case of viruses, enveloped viruses (e.g. SARS-CoV-2) are found to be more susceptible to disinfectants than the non-enveloped viruses. The introduction of plasmonic materials with the Fenton catalysts broadens the visible light absorption efficiency of the hybrid material, and incorporation of semiconductor material improves the rate of regeneration of Fe(II) from Fe(III). A special emphasis is given to the use of Fenton catalysts for antibacterial applications. Composite materials of magnetite and ferrites remain a champion in this area because of their easy separation and reuse, owing to their magnetic properties. Iron minerals supported on clay materials, perovskites, carbon materials, zeolites and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) dramatically increase the catalytic degradation rate of contaminants by providing high surface area, good mechanical stability, and improved electron transfer. Moreover, insights to the zero-valent iron and its capacity to remove a wide range of organic pollutants, heavy metals and bacterial contamination are also discussed. Real world applications and the role of natural organic matter are summarised. Parameter optimisation (e.g. light source, dosage of catalyst, concentration of H2O2 etc.), sustainable models for the reusability or recyclability of the catalyst and the theoretical understanding and mechanistic aspects of the photo-Fenton process are also explained. Additionally, this review summarises the opportunities and future directions of research in the heterogeneous Fenton catalysis.

Arsenic(V) removal behavior of schwertmannite synthesized by KMnO4 rapid oxidation with high adsorption capacity and Fe utilization

Adsorption is a simple and efficient way for arsenic contamination purification in water, with a pressing challenge to find a cheap and efficient adsorbent. As a poorly crystalline Fe(III)-oxyhydroxy sulfate mineral, schwertmannite can be As(V) adsorbent because of its tunnel structure and low cost. However, the schwertmannite synthesized commonly by H₂O₂ rapid oxidation suffers from the low Fe utilization and limited As(V) adsorption capacity. In this research, the schwertmannite is synthesized by KMnO₄. The results show that the Fe utilization can be improved from 40% to 56%, with the As(V) adsorption capacities double times better than those synthesized by H₂O₂ at pH 7 and 2. The As(V) adsorption mechanisms at different pHs and the reason for the improvement of As(V) adsorption capacity are thoroughly investigated. The FTIR and EDS images confirm that As(V) adsorption exchange with SO₄^2- is the dominant mechanism at pH 7 and 2. At pH 11, the As(V) is mainly removed by surface complexation because the surface SO₄^2- is exchanged by OH^-. The intraparticle diffusion model fitting and XPS results further reveal that the tunnel structure built by Fe-SO₄ in the KMnO₄ oxidized schwertmannite is more stable, possibly resulting in the better As(V) adsorption performance.

Effects of system parameters and residual ions on the oxidation removal of NO by Fenton method

In the present work, the effects of relevant system parameters on the oxidation removal of NO using the Fenton method were discussed in detail. Moreover, the impacts of ions remaining in the coal-fired process on the NO oxidation efficiency were investigated specifically. The experimental results showed that the oxidation efficiency of NO decreased with the increase of gas flow rate, reagent temperature, and CO₂ volume fraction in the evaluated range, while it increased first and then decreased with the increase of gas temperature, NO initial concentration, O₂ volume fraction, initial pH of reagent, and Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ molar ratio. In addition, the corresponding impact mechanism of the system parameters was discussed respectively. Although the SO₂ showed a competitive effect on the utilization of oxidative radicals, the Fenton system also showed an ability for simultaneous removal of NO and SO₂. Furthermore, the results indicated that the NO oxidation efficiency would be influenced by the residual ions, such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, SO₄^2-, and Cl^-. The presence of the mentioned ions showed an inhibiting effect on the oxidation removal of NO in the first few minutes, while the NO oxidation efficiency would be enhanced in the bulk stage of the tests. The positive effect trended to be more obvious with the decline of the ion dosage. Subsequently, the influence mechanism of the aforesaid residual cations and anions was supposed and proposed preliminarily.

Fabricating Fe3O4-schwertmannite as a Z-scheme photocatalyst with excellent photocatalysis-Fenton reaction and recyclability

Here we reported an effective method to solve the rate-limiting steps, such as the reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ and an invalid decomposition of H₂O₂ in a conventional Fenton-like reaction. A magnetic heterogeneous photocatalyst, Fe₃O₄-schwertmannite (Fe₃O₄-sch) was successfully developed by adding Fe₃O₄ in the formation process of schwertmannite. Fe₃O₄-sch shows excellent electrons transfer ability and high utilization efficiency of H₂O₂ (98.5%). The catalytic activity of Fe₃O₄-sch was studied through the degradation of phenol in the heterogeneous photo-Fenton process. Phenol degradation at a wide pH (3 - 9) was up to 98% within 6 min under visible light illumination with the Fe₃O₄-sch as heterogeneous Fenton catalyst, which was higher than that using pure schwertmannite or Fe₃O₄. The excellent photocatalytic performance of Fe₃O₄-sch is ascribed to the effective recycling between Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ by the photo-generated electron, and also profit from the formation of the "Z-Scheme" system. According to the relevant data, photocatalytic mechanism of Fe₃O₄-sch for degrading phenol was proposed. This study not only provides an efficient way of enhancing heterogeneous Fenton reaction, but also gives potential application for iron oxyhydroxysulfate mineral.

Synthesis and assessment of schwertmannite/few-layer graphene composite for the degradation of sulfamethazine in heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction

Schwertmannite (sch), an iron oxyhydrosulfate mineral, can catalyse a Fenton-like reaction to degrade organic contaminants, but the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) on the surface of schwertmannite is a limiting step for the Fenton-like process. In the present study, the sch/few-layer graphene (sch-FLG) composite was synthesized to promote the catalytic activity of sch in a Fenton-like reaction. It was found that sch can be successfully carried by FLG in sch-FLG composite, mainly via the chemical bond of Fe-O-C on the surface of sch-FLG. The sch-FLG exhibited a much higher catalytic activity than sch or FLG for the degradation of sulfamethazine (SMT) in the heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction, which resulted from the fact that the FLG can pass electrons efficiently. The degradation efficiency of SMT was around 100% under the reaction conditions of H2O2 200-500 mg l-1, sch-FLG dosage 1-2 g l-1, temperature 28-38°C, and initial solution pH 1-9. During the repeated uses of sch-FLG in the Fenton-like reaction, it maintained a certain catalytic activity for the degradation of SMT and the mineral structure was not changed. In addition, SMT may be finally mineralized in the Fenton-like reaction catalysed by sch-FLG, and the possible degradation pathways were proposed. Therefore, the sch-FLG is an excellent catalyst for SMT degradation in a heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction.

High selectivity and effectiveness for removal of tetracycline and its related drug resistance in food wastewater through schwertmannite/graphene oxide catalyzed photo-Fenton-like oxidation

Selectively and effectively for removal of tetracycline (TC) and its related antibiotic resistance gene from food wastewater matrix with high-salt and high COD characteristics is highly desirable. In this work, novel schwertmannite/graphene oxide (SCH/GO) nanocomposites were synthesized through a facile oxidation-coprecipitation method. The SCH/GO nanocomposites were characterized by TEM, XRD, BET, PL, DRS, XPS and FTIR. In the presence of 1 mM H₂O₂, the SCH/GO catalyzed Fenton-like oxidation can thoroughly degrade TC under visible light irradiation, even under nature sunlight, whose second-order kinetic rate constant was about 15 times higher than that of pure SCH. SCH/GO was capable of highly selectively capturing and effectively degrading TC in the presence of similar concentration of Cl^-, NO₃^-, SO₄^2- and PO₄^3- with that of food wastewater, even at organic matters concentration of 12.5 times than that of TC. At the same time, the removal of total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in aforementioned food wastewater in SCH/GO+H₂O₂+Vis system reached 27.3 % and 34.5 % after 60 min, respectively. The inhibition zone experiments authenticated that the removal of drug resistance of bacteria by TC degradation intermediates can be achieved very well without producing secondary contamination in this system.

Assessment of schwertmannite, jarosite and goethite as adsorbents for efficient adsorption of phenanthrene in water and the regeneration of spent adsorbents by heterogeneous fenton-like reaction

Schwertmannite, jarosite or goethite are commonly used to remove metals and/or metalloids from contaminated water via adsorption processes, but it is still unclear whether they can be used as adsorbents to remove hydrophobic organic pollutants (HOCs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), from groundwater or wastewater. Here, the feasibility of using these iron (oxyhydr) oxide minerals as adsorbents for phenanthrene (a model PAH) adsorption and regenerating the spent adsorbents via heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction was investigated. Results showed that they exhibited rapid adsorption rates and considerable adsorption capacities for phenanthrene. The maximum Langmuir capacities (Qmax) for phenanthrene adsorption at 28 °C were in an ascending order of goethite (567 μg·g-1) < schwertmannite (727 μg·g-1) < jarosite (2088 μg·g-1). The adsorption process was a spontaneous and exothermic process along with the decrease of randomness at the solid/liquid interfaces, which was influenced by temperature, adsorbent dosage, and the coexistence of inorganic anions. Both schwertmannite and jarosite were superior to goethite in light of their easy separation from the bulk solution after the adsorption processes. A multi-cycle experiment demonstrated that the regeneration efficiency of schwertmannite (97.9-99.7%) was much higher than that of jarosite (80.1-87.2%), and the mineral structure, morphology and functional groups of schwertmannite were not changed during the successive adsorption-regeneration processes. Therefore, among the investigated three iron (oxyhydr) oxide minerals, schwertmannite was an attractive and regenerable adsorbent for the removal of phenanthrene from water owing to its high adsorption capacity, good separation ability, and excellent reusability.

Fenton-like degradation of dimethyl phthalate enhanced by quinone species

Fenton-like degradations of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and phenolic compounds (phenol, catechol, resorcinol, and hydroquinone) in single and binary systems were investigated by focusing on the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycle during the reaction processes. Quinone-like substances were generated and found to be responsible for the autocatalytic transformation of Fe(III) to Fe(II) in the Fenton-like process with DMP or phenolics. Moreover, phenolic compounds could accelerate the Fenton-like degradation of DMP, with an increased efficiency of H₂O₂ utilization. The effect of phenolic compounds on the degradation of DMP followed the order: catechol ≈ hydroquinone > resorcinol > phenol, which could be attributed to the interaction between quinone-like substances and iron ions. Hydroquinone-like substances accelerated the Fe(III)/(II) redox cycle. The formation of iron complexes between catechol-like substances and iron ions facilitated the release of H⁺ and regeneration of Fe(II). In addition, a plausible mechanism for enhanced Fenton-like degradation of DMP by phenolics was proposed.

Synthesis and structure of iron–copper/hollow magnetic/metal–organic framework/coordination sites in a heterogeneous catalyst for a Fenton-based reaction

Preparation of novel hybrid catalysts with highly stable properties was conducted for wastewater remediation.

Strengthened Fenton degradation of phenol catalyzed by core/shell Fe-Pd@C nanocomposites derived from mechanochemically synthesized Fe-Metal organic frameworks

We have prepared core/shell structured hollow Fe-Pd@C nanomaterials derived from Fe-metal organic frameworks which were synthesized via cheap, fast and simple mechanochemical technique. The obtained Fe-Pd@C can steadily and continuously release Fe²⁺ from the galvanic corrosion of Fe⁰ anode to trigger H₂O₂ decomposition into hydroxyl radicals and cause fast (10 min) and efficient (mineralization rate 95%) degradation of phenol. The presence of low level of Pd NPs in Fe-Pd@C (mass ratio of the raw material: Fe/Pd = 100:1) facilitated fast Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ redox cycle and thus improved the catalytic performance and pH endurance of the Fe-Pd@C. After recycled four times, Fe-Pd@C remained high catalytic performance and released low level of iron ions (2.5 mg L^-1), which reduced the production of iron sludge after usage. In contrast to zero-valent iron (ZVI) and commercial physically mixed Fe/C materials, the core/shell structure of Fe-Pd@C ensured efficient electron transferring from Fe⁰ to carbon cathode and targets, and prevented the precipitation of iron ions on Fe⁰ surface, avoiding the deactivation of Fe⁰ and termination of Fe-C internal micro-electrolysis (IME) and extending their service life. The reactive species quenching experiments and ESR characterization proved the synergistic effect of electrons and hydroxyl free radicals on degradation of phenol. The carbon-centered DMPO radical detected in reaction solution can be regarded as a proof for the strengthened oxidation ability of the combined IME and Fenton reaction.

TiO2/Schwertmannite nanocomposites as superior co-catalysts in heterogeneous photo-Fenton process

The heterogeneous photo-Fenton reaction is an effective technique in combating organic contaminants for both soil and water remediation, and extensive studies have focused on enhancing its efficiency and reducing its costs. In this work, we developed novel photo-Fenton catalysts by simply milling commercially available TiO₂ (P25) with Schwertmannite (Sh), a natural iron-oxyhydroxysulfate nanomineral. We expect that the photo-generated electrons from TiO₂ could continuously migrate to Sh, which then could enhance the separation of electron-hole pairs on TiO₂ and accelerate the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) on Sh, leading to high degradation efficiency of the target organic contaminants. SEM and TEM results showed the distribution of TiO₂ on Sh surface for the nanocomposites (TiO₂/Sh). Under simulated sunlight irradiation, the much higher content of Fe(II) was determined on TiO₂/Sh than on Sh via a common method in the iron ore, and the consumption of H₂O₂ and the production of •OH were more significant in the TiO₂/Sh system than those in the TiO₂ and Sh systems. These results well support our hypothesis that the photo-generated electrons could migrate from TiO₂ to Sh on the composites, and can also explain the much higher degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) in the TiO₂/Sh system. Besides, TiO₂/Sh had lower Fe dissolution as compared with Sh, and retained high catalytic stability after four repeated cycles. Above merits of the TiO₂/Sh composites, in combining with their simple synthesis method and low-cost property, indicated that they should have promising applications as heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalysts.

Integrated electrokinetic processes for the remediation of phthalate esters in river sediments: A mini-review

Concerning the contamination of phthalate esters (PAEs) in river sediments, this mini-review introduces four recently reported novel "integrated electrokinetic (EK) processes" for the remediation purpose, namely two combined technologies of the EK process and advanced oxidation process (EK-AOP Processes) and two combined technologies of the EK process and biological process (EK-BIO Processes). The following is a comprehensive summary for these remediation processes: (1) the EK process coupled with nano-Fe₃O₄/S₂O₈^2- oxidation process - Test results have shown that nanoscale Fe₃O₄ played a significant role in activating persulfate oxidation. Even a recalcitrant compound like di(2‑ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), its concentration in test sediment was reduced to 1.97 mg kg^-1, far below the regulatory levels set by Taiwan EPA; (2) the EK process integrated with a novel Fenton-like process catalyzed by nanoscale schwertmannite (nano-SHM) - Test results have revealed that simultaneous injection of nano-SHM slurry and H₂O₂ into the anode reservoir and sediment compartment is a good practice. 70-99% in removal efficiency was obtained for various target PAEs; (3) enhanced in situ bioremediation coupled with the EK process for promoting the growth of intrinsic microorganisms by adding H₂O₂ as an oxygen release compound (ORC) - Test results have demonstrated that an intermittent mode of injecting lab-prepared ORC directly into the contaminant zone would be beneficial to the growth of intrinsic microorganisms in test sediment for in situ bioremediation of target PAEs; and (4) coupling of a second-generation ORC (designated 2G-ORC) with the EK-biological process - Test results have proved that 2G-ORC is long-lasting and can be directly utilized as the carbon source and oxygen source for microbial growth resulting in an enhanced biodegradation of PAEs. Except DEHP having a residual concentration of 4 μg kg^-1, all other target PAEs in test sediment were totally removed by this novel combined remediation process.

Schwertmannite: occurrence, properties, synthesis and application in environmental remediation

Schwertmannite is a typical iron-derived mineral, which was originally discovered in acid mine drainings and subsequently synthesized in the laboratory. Increasingly, it is seen as having considerable potential as an adsorbent material, which could be used for environmental remediation (such as the treatment/remediation of arsenic, chromium, antimony, fluoride, and organic contaminants). This study reviews current developments, mainly in the preparation, structure, and water treatment of Schwertmannite. Several key issues are discussed in detail, such as synthetic strategy, the structure-property relationships, potential environmental applications, and related mechanisms. Soil remediation by schwertmannite is compared to water treatment, and its application is further evaluated. Finally, the methodologies for water treatment and soil remediation using schwertmannite are also taken into consideration from an environmental point of view.

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.

Fe1-xZnxS ternary solid solution as an efficient Fenton-like catalyst for ultrafast degradation of phenol

Heterogeneous Fenton-like system has been proved to be an promising alternative to Fenton system due to its easy separation. However, it's a challenge to design heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts with high activity and great durability. Here, ternary solid solution Fe_1-xZn_xS were prepared via hydrothermal synthesis as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts. The Fe_0.7Zn_0.3S sample exhibited state of the art activity for yielding OH by H₂O₂ decomposition, and the ultrafast degradation of phenol was achieved in 4 min at initial acidic condition under room temperature. The phenol degradation rate constant of Fe_0.7Zn_0.3S was 99 and 70 times of ZnS and FeS, respectively. Further, we show that the unique structural configuration of iron atoms, the formation of FeS₂-pyrite with (200) plane, are responsible for the excellent activity. The intermediate products were identified by LC-MS and a possible pathway was accordingly proposed to elucidate the mechanism of phenol degradation by OH. Overall, this work provides an idea for the rational design of the relevant heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts.

Ultrasonic-enhanced Fenton-like degradation of bisphenol A using a bio-synthesized schwertmannite catalyst

Schwertmannite (Sch) was synthesized by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and used as Fenton-like catalyst for bisphenol A (BPA) degradation combining with ultrasonic technology (US). Physicochemical characterizations showed that the bio-synthesized Sch particles had a pompon-like morphology with high BET surface area of 92.92m²/g. The degradation reaction showed a two-stage pseudo-first-order kinetic process consisting of an induction period and a followed rapid degradation period. A synergistic effect existed between US and Sch on activating H₂O₂ and the synergy factor was calculated to be 2.32. The catalytic efficiency of the system was mainly affected by pH, Sch dosage and temperature, but less relevant to H₂O₂ concentration. Free OH radicals in the bulk solution were identified to be the dominant oxidant, which were produced by both heterogeneous and homogeneous processes. The promotional effect of US on Fenton-like degradation of BPA can be ascribed to the reasons of (1) increasing the radical generation by ultrasonic cavitation; (2) reducing the apparent activation energies of degradation reaction; (3) accelerating the dissolution of iron and (4) keeping the high surface area of catalyst by continuous surface cleaning. Ecotoxicity tests indicated lower toxicities of intermediates than BPA. In addition, Sch exhibited high reusability in the recycle study.

Synthesis of Cu2O-CuFe2O4 microparticles from Fenton sludge and its application in the Fenton process: the key role of Cu2O in the catalytic degradation of phenol

This paper presents the key role of Cu2O in Fenton catalysis using Cu2O-CuFe2O4 magnetic microparticles, which were prepared using Fenton sludge as an iron source. The catalytic activity of the as-prepared Cu2O-CuFe2O4 and CuFe2O4 microparticles was evaluated in a heterogeneous Fenton system for the degradation of recalcitrant phenol. The Cu2O-CuFe2O4 microparticles demonstrated relatively superior catalytic performance as compared to CuFe2O4 microparticles when used as a Fenton catalyst. The relatively higher catalytic activity of Cu2O-CuFe2O4 for phenol degradation during the Fenton process could be attributed to the availability of both monovalent [Cu(i)] and divalent [Cu(ii)] as well as Fe(ii)/Fe(iii) redox pairs, which could react quickly with H2O2 to generate hydroxyl radicals (HO˙). An electron bridge was formed between Cu(i) and Fe(iii), which accelerates the formation of Fe(ii) species in order to boost the reaction rate. Highly reactive and excessively available Cu(i) species for as prepared Cu2O-CuFe2O4 microparticles could be considered to be rather crucial for the generation of highly reactive HO˙ radical species. In addition, the as-prepared Cu2O-CuFe2O4 magnetic microparticles exhibited sound stability and reusability.

Biocompatibility assessment of nanomaterials for environmental safety screening

In view of the extensive use of nanoparticles in countless applications, a fast and effective method for assessing their potential adverse effects on the environment and human health is extremely important. At present, in vitro cell-based assays are the standard approach for screening chemicals for cytotoxicity because of their relative simplicity, sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness compared with animal studies. Regrettably, such cell-based viability assays encounter limitations when applied to determining the biological toxicity of nanomaterials, which often interact with assay components and produce unreliable outcomes. We have established a cell-impedance-based, label-free, real-time cell-monitoring platform suitable for use in a variety of mammalian cell lines that displays results as cell index values. In addition to this real-time screening platform, other traditional cytotoxicity assays were employed to validate cytotoxicity assessments. We suggest that the cell impedance measurement approach is effective and better suited to determining the cytotoxicity of nanomaterials for environmental safety screening. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1170-1182, 2017.

The optimization, kinetics and mechanism of m-cresol degradation via catalytic wet peroxide oxidation with sludge-derived carbon catalyst

The sludge-derived carbon catalyst modified with 0°C HNO₃ solution was tested in catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of m-cresol (100mgL^-1) with systematical mathematical models and theoretical calculation for the first time. The reaction conditions were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) as T=60°C, initial pH=3.0, C_0,H2O2(30%)=1.20gL^-1 (lower than the stoichiometric amount of 1.80gL^-1) and C_cat=0.80gL^-1, with 96% of m-cresol and 47% of TOC converted after 16min and 120min of reaction, respectively, and ξ (mg TOC/g H₂O₂ fed)=83.6mg/g. The end time of the first kinetic period in m-cresol model was disclosed to be correlated with the fixed residue m-cresol concentration of about 33%. Furthermore, the kinetic constants in models of TOC and H₂O₂ exactly provide convincing proof of three-dimensional response surfaces analysis by RSM, which showed the influence of the interaction between organics and H₂O₂ on effective H₂O₂ utilization. The reaction intermediates over time were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer based on kinetics analysis. Four degradation pathways for m-cresol were proposed, of which the possibility and feasibility were well proven by frontier molecule orbital theory and atomic charge distribution via density functional theory method.

Heterogeneous Fenton-like degradation of phenanthrene catalyzed by schwertmannite biosynthesized using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Heterogeneous Fenton-like degradation of phenanthrene in aqueous solution was investigated using schwertmannite biosynthesized by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans LX5 as a catalyst.

Degradation of phthalate esters and acetaminophen in river sediments using the electrokinetic process integrated with a novel Fenton-like process catalyzed by nanoscale schwertmannite

The main objective of this study was to develop and establish an in situ remediation technology coupling nano-schwertmannite/H2O2 process and electrokinetic (EK) process for the removal of phthalates (PAEs) and acetaminophen in river sediments. Test results are given as follows: (1) injection of nano-schwertmannite slurry and H2O2 (collectively, "novel oxidant") into the anode reservoir would yield ·OH radicals that then will be diffused into the sediment compartment and further transported by the electroosmotic flow and/or electrophoresis from the anode end toward the cathode to degrade PAEs and pharmaceuticals in the sediment if any; (2) an electric potential gradient of 1.5 V cm(-1) would help the removal of PAEs and acetaminophen in the blank test, which no "novel oxidants" was added to the remediation system; (3) the practice of electrode polarity reversal would maintain neutral pH for sediment after remediation; (4) injection of equally divided dose of 10 mL novel oxidant into the anode reservoir and four injection ports on the top of sediment chamber would further enhance the removal efficiency; and (5) an extension of treatment time from 14 d to 28 d is beneficial to the removal efficiency as expected. In comparison, the remediation performance obtained by the EK-assisted nano-SHM/H2O2 oxidation process is superior to that of the batch degradation test, but is comparable with other EK integrated technologies for the treatment of same contaminants. Thus, it is expected that the EK-assisted nano-SHM/H2O2 oxidation process is a viable technology for the removal of phthalate esters and pharmaceuticals from river sediments in large-scale operations.

Phenol degradation by Fenton-like process

The main objective of this study was to investigate the optimum conditions for the Fenton-like process on phenol degradation, using Mn(2+) as a supporting catalyst in the Fenton reaction. The effect of the independent factors [H2O2], [Fe(2+)], [Mn(2+)] and t (reaction time) was evaluated on the efficiency of phenol degradation at two pHs (3 and 5). The experimental arrangement adopted was the Box-Behnken delineation, with the phenol concentration after the treatments suggested as response variable. At less acidic pH (5), regardless of [Mn(2+)], it was observed that the conventional Fenton process was the most efficient alternative, considering the optimum condition: 2.65 mmol L(-1) for [H2O2], 0.36 mmol L(-1) for [Fe(2+)], and 90 min for t. It was observed that the addition of Mn(2+) helped the phenol degradation at more acidic pH (3), obtaining the optimum condition: 6.17 mmol L(-1) for [H2O2], 0.36 mmol L(-1) for [Fe(2+)], 1.09 mmol L(-1) for [Mn(2+)], and 90 min for t.

Simultaneous removal of SO₂, NO and Hg⁰ through an integrative process utilizing a cost-effective complex oxidant

A novel process of pre-oxidation combining with post-absorption to simultaneously remove SO2, NO and Hg(0) from flue gas was proposed. A vaporized complex oxidant (CO) consisted of cost-effective H2O2 and NaClO2 was prepared to oxidize Hg(0) and NO, then the oxidation products were absorbed by the Ca(OH)2 solution that was followed. For the establishment of the optimal reaction conditions, the influences of various reaction factors on the simultaneous removal of SO2, NO and Hg(0) were investigated, i.e., the molar ratio of H2O2 to NaClO2 in CO, the adding rate of CO, the pH of CO, the reaction temperature, the flue gas residence time and the coexistence gases. The experimental results indicated that the desulfurization was constant in all tests, whereas the removal of NO and Hg(0) was primarily affected by the NaClO2 addition, the adding rate of CO, the pH of CO, and the reaction temperature. Meanwhile, NO and SO2 were characterized as the promoters for the Hg(0) removal. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the best simultaneous removal efficiencies were 100% for SO2, 87% for NO and 92% for Hg(0). According to the characterizations of removal products by UV-vis, EDX, XRD, AFS and XPS, the reaction mechanism was speculated.

Degradation of phenol by a heterogeneous photo-Fenton process using Fe/Cu/Al catalysts

Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ can react with H₂O₂, producing Cu⁺, Fe²⁺, and ˙OH. Then ˙OH can react with phenol directly. The degradation of phenol leads to the formation of the mixed byproducts, such as catechol, benzoquinone, resorcinol and hydroquinone.