Effect of sequestration on PAH degradability with Fenton's reagent: roles of total organic carbon, humin, and soil porosity

Remediation of phenanthrene contaminated soil by persulphate coupled with Pseudomonas aeruginosa GZ7 based on oxidation prediction model

Chemical oxidation coupled with microbial remediation has attracted widespread attention for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Among them, the precise evaluation of the feasible oxidant concentration of PAH-contaminated soil is the key to achieving the goal of soil functional ecological remediation. In this study, phenanthrene (PHE) was used as the target pollutant, and Fe2+-activated persulphate (PS) was used to remediate four types of soils. Linear regression analysis identified the following important factors influencing remediation: PS dosage and soil PHE content for PHE degradation, Fe2+ dosage, hydrolysable nitrogen (HN), and available phosphorus for PS decomposition. A comprehensive model of "soil characteristics-oxidation conditions-remediation effect" with a high predictive accuracy was constructed. Based on model identification, Pseudomonas aeruginosa GZ7, which had high PAHs degrading ability after domestication, was further applied to coupling repair remediation. The results showed that the optimal PS dose was 0.75% (w/w). The response relationship between soil physical, chemical, and biological indicators at the intermediate interface and oxidation conditions was analysed. Coupled remediation effects were clarified using microbial diversity sequencing. The introduction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa GZ7 stimulated the relative abundance of Cohnella, Enterobacter, Paenibacillus, and Bacillus, which can promote material metabolism and energy transformation during remediation.

Significant contribution of different sources of particulate organic matter to the photoaging of microplastics

Particulate organic matter (POM), as an important component of organic matter, can act as a redox mediator and thus intervene in the environmental behavior of microplastics (MPs). However, quantitative information on the role of POM in the photoaging of MPs under ultraviolet (UV) light is still lacking. To raise the knowledge gap, through environmental simulation experiments and qualitative/quantitative experiments of active substances, we found that POM from peat soil has stronger oxidation capacity than POM from sediment, and the involvement of POM at high water content makes the aging of MPs more obvious. This is because the persistent radicals and electron-absorbing groups on the surface of POM indirectly generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) by promoting electron transfer, and the dissolved organic matter (DOM) released from POM under UV light (POM-DOM) is further excited to generate triplet-state photochemistry of DOM (3DOM*) to promote the aging of MPs. Theoretical calculations revealed that the benzene ring, mainly C = C, and C = O in the main chain in the plastic macromolecule structure are more susceptible to ROS attack, and the differences in the vulnerable sites contained in different plastic structures as well as the differences in the energy band gaps lead to differences in their aging processes. This study firstly elucidates the key role and intrinsic mechanism of POM in the photoaging of MPs, providing a theoretical basis for a comprehensive assessment of the effect of POM on MPs in the environment.

Remediation of benzo[a]pyrene contaminated soils by moderate chemical oxidation coupled with microbial degradation

Chemical oxidation is a promising technology for the remediation of organics-contaminated soils. However, residual oxidants and transformation products have adverse effects on microbial activities. This work aimed at moderate chemical oxidation coupled with microbial degradation (MOMD) for the removal of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) by optimizing the type and dosage of oxidants. Potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), Fe²⁺ + sodium persulfate (Fe²⁺ + PS), Fenton's reagent (Fe²⁺ + H₂O₂), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) were compared for BaP removal from loam clay and sandy soils. Overall, the removal efficiency of BaP by a moderate dose of oxidant coupled indigenous microorganism was slightly lower than that by a high dose of relevant oxidant. The contributions of microbial degradation to the total removal of BaP varied for different oxidants and soils. The removal efficiency of BaP from loam clay sandy soil by a moderate dose of KMnO₄ (25 mmol/L) was 94.3 ± 1.1 % and 92.5 ± 1.8 %, respectively, which were both relatively higher than those under other conditions. The indirect carbon footprint yielded by the moderate dose of oxidants was 39.2-72.8 % less than that by the complete oxidation. A moderate dose of oxidants also reduced disturbances to soil pH and OC. The microbial communities after MOMD treatment were dominated by Burkholderiaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Alicyclobacillaceae, and Oxalobacteraceae. These dominant microorganisms promoted the removal of BaP through the expression of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-ring hydroxylated dioxygenase gene. Compared with complete chemical oxidation, MOMD is also a promising technique with the utilization of indigenous microorganism for remediating BaP-contaminated soils.

Enhanced PAHs-contaminated site soils remediation by mixed persulfate and calcium peroxide

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) remain in the site soils after relocated coking plants and oil refineries pose huge constraints to the subsequent land utilization. However, single persulfate (PS) or calcium peroxide (CP) remediation strategies can only inefficiently oxidize some PAHs in soil. This work sought to optimize PS/CP oxidation remediation strategy and verify its practical application effect in soil samples spiked with PAHs. The results showed that the mixed PS/CP oxidation remediation was better than the single oxidants strategies; it had high remediation performance in different particles and pollution loads of PAHs-contaminated soils. Simultaneously, reactive radicals (SO₄·^- and ·OH) were detected, and one side-product (CaSO₄) was characterized. This work optimized the mixed PS/CP system (0.3 mol/L PS, and 8 g/kg CP, together with 0.18 mol/L Fe²⁺ and 0.11 mol/L C₂O₄^2-), and the corresponding Total-PAHs removal rate was 85.41%. Compared to the cost based on benzopyrene (BaP) removal, the study provided a cost-effective mixed PS/CP oxidation remediation technique (1.22 $/ton), widely applicable in soils polluted with various organic contaminants represented such as PAHs.

Optimization of PAHs oxidation from contaminated soil using modified nanoscale zero-valent iron combined with potassium permanganate

A novel synergistic oxidation technology based on modified nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) was developed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) remediation in actual contaminated soil. In this study, three surfactants were used as dispersants to modify nZVI, including poly acrylic (PAA), sorbitan monolaurate (SPAN-20) and sugar esters (SE). The following parameters were studied to optimize the coupling oxidation process: dispersants/nZVI ratio, dosage of oxidant based on soil oxidation demand (SOD), amount of modified nanomaterials added in the coupling system. By using zeta potential, XRD, SEM, BET characterization methods, the results show that nZVI successfully coated with 5% PAA, 20% SE and 10% SPAN-20 have the best stability and mobility to effectively reduce the agglomeration effect. The conditions for treating PAH contaminated soil with the three best modified nanocomposites combined with KMnO4 were studied. The optimal conditions were defined as [SE-nZVI] = 10% and [KMnO4] = 40% SODmax for 24 h at 25 °C. The synergistic oxidation process under these optimal conditions and the two unoptimized processes of KMnO4 and nZVI-KMnO4 degraded 85%, 58.9% and 62% of PAHs, respectively. This showed that the treatment effect of the optimized oxidation process was improved by 1.3-1.5 times. Further, by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), adsorption and electrophilic substitution reaction were speculated as the oxidation mechanism of PAHs treated by the coupling system of SE-nZVI-KMnO4. PAHs could finally be decomposed into 9-methylene-9H-fluorene, fluoranthene and 1,5-diphenyl-1,4-pentadiyn-3-one and reached a safer status in the soil.

Effectiveness of chelating agent-assisted Fenton-like processes on remediation of glucocorticoid-contaminated soil using chemical and biological assessment: performance comparison of CaO2 and H2O2

Glucocorticoids (GCs) have drawn great concern due to widespread contamination in the environment and application in treating COVID-19. Most studies on GC removal mainly focused on aquatic environment, while GC behaviors in soil were less mentioned. In this study, degradation of three selected GCs in soil has been investigated using citric acid (CA)-modified Fenton-like processes (H₂O₂/Fe(III)/CA and CaO₂/Fe(III)/CA treatments). The results showed that GCs in soil can be removed by modified Fenton-like processes (removal efficiency gt; 70% for 24 h). CaO₂/Fe(III)/CA was more efficient than H₂O₂/Fe(III)/CA at low oxidant dosage (< 0.28-0.69 mmol/g) for long treatment time (> 4 h). Besides the chemical assessment with GC removal, effects of Fenton-like processes were also evaluated by biological assessments with bacteria and plants. CaO₂/Fe(III)/CA was less harmful to the richness and diversity of microorganisms in soil compared to H₂O₂/Fe(III)/CA. Weaker phytotoxic effects were observed on GC-contaminated soil treated by CaO₂/Fe(III)/CA than H₂O₂/Fe(III)/CA. This study, therefore, recommends CaO₂-based treatments to remediate GC-contaminated soils.

Phytotoxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons: Sources, impacts and remediation strategies

Extraction and exploration of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) to satisfy the rising world population's fossil fuel demand is playing havoc with human beings and other life forms by contaminating the ecosystem, particularly the soil. In the current review, we highlighted the sources of PHs contamination, factors affecting the PHs accumulation in soil, mechanisms of uptake, translocation and potential toxic effects of PHs on plants. In plants, PHs reduce the seed germination andnutrients translocation, and induce oxidative stress, disturb the plant metabolic activity and inhibit the plant physiology and morphology that ultimately reduce plant yield. Moreover, the defense strategy in plants to mitigate the PHs toxicity and other potential remediation techniques, including the use of organic manure, compost, plant hormones, and biochar, and application of microbe-assisted remediation, and phytoremediation are also discussed in the current review. These remediation strategies not only help to remediate PHs pollutionin the soil rhizosphere but also enhance the morphological and physiological attributes of plant and results to improve crop yield under PHs contaminated soils. This review aims to provide significant information on ecological importance of PHs stress in various interdisciplinary investigations and critical remediation techniques to mitigate the contamination of PHs in agricultural soils.

Petroleum-contaminated soil: using sonolysis to improve mineralization and biodegradation potential of Fenton reaction and ozonolysis process

The degradation efficiency of the Fenton reaction or ozonolysis (O₃) to treat soil contaminated by crude petroleum was studied in association with the sonolysis process. To quantify oxidation efficiency, total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were measured, while biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) was measured to estimate biodegradation potential. TOC removal efficiency ranged from 9 to 52% to the Fenton reaction without sonolysis, and 18% and 78% with sonolysis for reagent concentrations of 1% H₂O₂-100 mM Fe²⁺ and 20% H₂O₂-1 mM Fe²⁺, respectively. For ozonolysis (after 10 and 60 min of treatment), the reduction in TOC ranged from 9 to 43% without sonolysis and 15 to 61% with sonolysis. The Fenton reaction without sonolysis increased the biodegradability in relation to the non-oxidized sample by 6% (1% H₂O₂-100 mM Fe²⁺) and 26% (20% H₂O₂-1 mM Fe²⁺), and with sonolysis the corresponding values were 13% and 42%, respectively. The biodegradation potential under ozonolysis without sonolysis increased from 0.18 (10 min of treatment) to 0.38 (30 min of treatment), and with sonolysis these values were 0.26 and 0.58, respectively. Optimization of the remediation processes is essential to determine sequential treatment order and efficiency.

Promoted oxidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils by dual persulfate/calcium peroxide system

In situ chemical oxidations (ISCO) have been demonstrated as effective ways for remediating soils contaminated with organic pollutants by complete mineralization. This work aims to develop a technology for the oxidation remediation of soils contaminated with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) using a dual calcium peroxide (CP)/persulfate (PS) oxidant system activated by oxalic acid (OA)-chelating Fe²⁺. The dual peroxide system was set up, and the effects of 5 single factors (i.e., CP dosage, PS dosage, Fe²⁺ dosage, OA concentration, and soil/water ratio) on PAHs degradation were studied using the single-factor experiment. The response surface method was then introduced to obtain the optimized experimental conditions (CP dosage, PS dosage, OA concentration) of the dual peroxide system. The result shows that the dual peroxide system significantly increased the PAHs degradation and the maximum PAHs degradation efficiency (70.8%) was achieved by the dual peroxide system under optimal conditions (PS dosage, CP concentration, Fe²⁺/PS ratio, and Fe²⁺/OA ratio was 8.89 g/kg, 0.18 mol/L, 1/4 and 0.62) at neutral soil condition. This study is an illustration of the promising efficiency of the dual peroxide system for PAH oxidation in the neutral soil and has great potential for remediation of PAHs contaminated farmland soils.

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.

Selective removal of phenanthrene for the recovery of sodium dodecyl sulfate by UV-C and UV-C/PDS processes: Performance, mechanism and soil washing recycling

Soil washing is commonly used to remediate PAHs contaminated sites. However, the effluent after washing containing PAHs and surfactant may cause secondary pollution and remediation cost is still high, unless PAHs are selectively removed from the effluent and the surfactant is recovered and recycled. Herein, ultraviolet irradiation (254 nm, UV-C) and its combination with peroxydisulfate (UV-C/PDS) were applied to selectively degrade PHE in the synthetic soil washing effluent. At natural pH of 8.6, 98.2 % of PHE was removed within 30 min under 6 W UV-C irradiation. After adding 2 mM PDS, the time was shortened to 8 min but still achieving 98.7 % PHE removal and less toxic treated effluent than UV-C alone. The ¹O₂ was the main oxidizing species in UV-C alone system, while ¹O₂ as well OH and SO₄^- were responsible for PHE removal in the UV-C/PDS system. The possible intermediates of PHE degradation were recognized using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique and the degradation pathways in both systems were proposed. Soil washing recycling experiments verified the recovered SDS could be reused directly without surfactant supplement and the soil washing efficiency changed insignificantly during three cycles. It indicates UV-C/PDS coupled with soil washing is a promising remediation technology.

Impact of humic acid on degradation of benzo(a)pyrene polluted Haplic Chernozem triggered by modified Fenton-like process

In this study, the applicability of a modified Fenton reaction for remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was demonstrated in chernozem soil. The main aim was to investigate the impact of variation of humic acid (HA) on the modified Fenton capabilities to degrade of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). Experimental was designed with two independent variables, including hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and hematite (α-Fe₂O₃), to determine the most effective BaP treatment conditions with exploring natural and an extra added amount of HA. For modified Fenton reaction at Haplic Chernozem, the best BaP degradation conditions resulted in an overall degradation of 68% with the following conditions: 0.95 M H₂O₂; 17.54 mg/g hematite; pH 7.8 without adjustment; 24 h; unsaturated (soil: water ratio 1:0.5). In the soil supplemented with 1% HA, Fenton-like reaction was found to perform better and resulted in 76% BaP degradation with less amount of hematite dosage (16.71 mg). The fact that HA, a significant class of naturally occurring compounds in soil, supports the Fenton reaction has strong relevance in the field of enhancing PAHs degradation field to obtain a more economical route.

Insights into the removal efficiencies of aged polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in humic acids of different soil aggregate fractions by various oxidants

Chemically oxidative removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil is related to their occurrence state. Whether the heterogeneity of natural organic matter has an effect on the occurrence of PAHs in soil and, if there is an effect, on the oxidative removal efficiency of PAHs remains unknown. In this study, the removal efficiencies of 16 priority PAHs aged in humic acids (HAs) of different soil aggregate fractions by various oxidants were investigated by combining soil fractionation and microreaction experiments. Results showed that the accumulations of PAHs in particulate HA (P-HA) and microaggregate occluded HA (MO-HA) mainly occurred in the early period of the aging time frame. In contrast, PAH accumulation in non-aggregated silt and clay associated HA (NASCA-HA) was relatively slow and tended to saturate in the late period of the aging time frame. The cumulative contents of PAHs throughout the entire aging period in MO-HA and NASCA-HA were significantly greater than that in P-HA. The aged PAHs in P-HA and NASCA-HA exhibited the highest and lowest removal efficiencies, respectively. This ranking was mainly governed by the molecular size and polarity of HAs. Sodium persulfate and potassium permanganate had the highest removal efficiencies in total PAHs in HAs, with average efficiencies of 85.8% and 79.1%, respectively, in P-HA. Hydrogen peroxide had the lowest degradation efficiency in PAHs. In particular, the degradation efficiency of total PAHs in NASCA-HA was lowered to 31.0%. PAH congeners in HAs showed a large difference in oxidative removal efficiency. Low-ring PAH was more easily degraded than medium- and high-ring PAHs, and in most treatments, fluoranthene and pyrene in the medium ring and benzo[a]pyrene in the high ring demonstrated higher efficiencies than other PAHs with the same number of rings. Our findings are useful in promoting the accurate and green remediation of PAH-contaminated soils.

Humic acids extracted from compost as amendments for Fenton treatment of diesel-contaminated soil

In this study, we investigate the performance of a Fenton-like process carried out adding as amendments humic acids extracted from compost obtained from organic wastes. Namely, Fenton-like lab-scale tests with different dosages of the extracted humic acids and traditional stabilizing agent (KH₂PO₄) were performed on a diesel-contaminated soil collected in a former gasoline station. The performed tests showed a beneficial effect of the extracted humic acids on the hydrogen peroxide stability. Namely, the H₂O₂ lifetime in the tests carried out without the addition of any amendments proved to be quite limited, resulting equal to around 1 h. The adoption of the extracted humic acids alone entailed a limited increase of the hydrogen peroxide stability that anyhow was detected in solution for 24 h using 10 g/L of extracted HA. When the humic acids (10 g/L) were used in combination with KH₂PO₄ (8.2 g/L), the hydrogen peroxide lifetime increased up to around 150 h. A beneficial effect of the humic acids extracted from compost for a Fenton-like process was also observed in terms of diesel removal. Namely, without any amendment, a contaminant removal of around 55% was observed. Using KH₂PO₄ or HA alone, the contaminant removal raised up to around 75% while using the traditional stabilizer together with the humic acids extracted from compost, it was possible to remove up to 90% of the initial diesel content of the soil.

Significant contribution of metastable particulate organic matter to natural formation of silver nanoparticles in soils

Particulate organic matter (POM) is distributed worldwide in high abundance. Although insoluble, it could serve as a redox mediator for microbial reductive dehalogenation and mineral transformation. Quantitative information on the role of POM in the natural occurrence of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is lacking, but is needed to re-evaluate the sources of AgNPs in soils, which are commonly considered to derive from anthropogenic inputs. Here we demonstrate that POM reduces silver ions to AgNPs under solar irradiation, by producing superoxide radicals from phenol-like groups. The contribution of POM to the naturally occurring AgNPs is estimated to be 11-31%. By providing fresh insight into the sources of AgNPs in soils, our study facilitates unbiased assessments of the fate and impacts of anthropogenic AgNPs. Moreover, the reducing role of POM is likely widespread within surface environments and is expected to significantly influence the biogeochemical cycling of Ag and other contaminants that are reactive towards phenol-like groups.

Effect of various chemical oxidation reagents on soil indigenous microbial diversity in remediation of soil contaminated by PAHs

Chemical oxidation is a promising pretreatment step coupled with bioremediation for removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The effectiveness of Fenton, modified Fenton, potassium permanganate and activated persulfate oxidation treatments on the real contaminated soils collected from a coal gas plant (263.6 ± 73.3 mg kg^-1 of the Σ16 PAHs) and a coking plant (385.2 ± 39.6 mg kg^-1 of the Σ16 PAHs) were evaluated. Microbial analyses showed only a slight impact on indigenous microbial diversity by Fenton treatment, but showed the inhibition of microbial diversity and delayed population recovery by potassium permanganate reagent. After potassium permanganate treatment, the microorganism mainly existed in the soil was Pseudomonas or Pseudomonadaceae. The results showed that total organic carbon (TOC) content in soil was significantly increased by adding modified Fenton reagent (1.4%-2.3%), while decreased by adding potassium permanganate (0.2%-1%), owing to the nonspecific and different oxidative properties of chemical oxidant. The results also demonstrated that the removal efficiency of total PAHs was ordered: permanganate (90.0%-92.4%) > activated persulfate (81.5%-86.54%) > modified Fenton (81.5%-85.4%) > Fenton (54.1%-60.0%). Furthermore, the PAHs removal efficiency was slightly increased on the 7th day after Fenton and modified Fenton treatments, about 14.6%, and 14.4% respectively, and the PAHs removal efficiency only enhanced 4.1% and 1.3% respectively from 1st to 15th day after potassium permanganate and activated persulfate treatments. The oxidants greatly affect the growth of soil indigenous microbes, which cause further influence for PAHs degradation by bioremediation.

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from different soil fractions by persulfate oxidation

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from different soil fractions of contaminated soil was investigated by using activated persulfate oxidation remediation in our research. The results showed that the light fraction, which accounted for only 10% of the soil, contained 30% of the PAHs at a concentration of 4352 mg/kg. The heavy fraction contained more high-molecular-weight PAHs, and the total PAH concentration was 625 mg/kg. After being oxidized, the removal rate of PAHs was 39% in the light fraction and nearly 90% in the heavy fraction. Among the different fractions of the heavy fraction, humic acid contained the highest concentration of PAHs, and consequently, the highest removal efficiency of PAHs was also in humic acid. Compared with the light fraction, the heavy fraction has more aromatic compounds and those compounds were broken down during the oxidation process, which may be the removal mechanism involved in the oxidation of high-ring PAHs. Similarly, the enhancement of C=C bonds after oxidation can also explain the poor removal of high-ring PAHs in the light fraction. These results imply that different fractions of soil vary in composition and structure, leading to differences in the distribution and oxidation efficiencies of PAHs.

Sono-advanced Fenton-like degradation of aromatic amines in textile dyeing sludge: efficiency and mechanisms

In this paper, a novel strategy integrating ultrasound (US) with a Fenton-like (zero-valent iron/EDTA/air, ZEA) process was proposed for the removal of the refractory and carcinogenic aromatic amines (AAs) in textile dyeing sludge for the first time. The operating condition was optimized as 1.08 W/cm³ ultrasonic density, 15 g/L ZVI, and 1.0 mM EDTA, which could reach degradation efficiencies of 51.79% in US, 72.88% in ZEA, and 92.40% in US/ZEA system after 90-min reaction. Quenching experiments showed that electron transfer reactions generated by the iron ligands in ZEA brought about various reactive oxidative species (ROS), in which Fe (IV), O₂˙^-, and ˙OH dominated the degradation. US induced sludge disintegration by ultrasonic shear, proven by particle size decrease and supernatant organic matter upsurge, which helps ROS contact with those pollutants in the sludge cavities. Besides, US facilitated the iron redox cycle for oxygen activation by promoting the corrosion of ZVI and stripping considerable ferric ions from sludge iron oxides which were verified by SEM, XRF, and XPS. Graphical abstract.

Treatment of a simulated sludge by ultrasonic zero-valent iron/EDTA/Air process: Interferences of inorganic salts in polyaromatic hydrocarbon removal

Understanding the occurrence states of persistent organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in textile dyeing sludge is the key to their further treatment and disposal. Here, the effects of inorganic salts (silicate, sulfate, phosphate, hydroxide, and iron salts) that were typically rich in textile dyeing sludge on PAH adsorption by sludge and PAH degradation by an ultrasound (US) combined zero-valent iron/EDTA/Air (ZEA) system were studied in a simulated sludge system. The results showed that the simulated sludge containing inorganic salts had a larger specific surface area, which was beneficial for the adsorption of PAHs. More low-ring PAHs were adsorbed on the surface of the particles in the simulated sludge because of the inorganic salts, which was conducive to low-ring PAHs degradation by US/ZEA. The PAH removal rates were increased by 15.37% and 11.19%, respectively, in the presence of SiO₃^2- and HPO₄^2-. The yield of hydroxyl radicals (OH) was increased by 42.39% and 66.25% by SiO₃^2- and HPO₄^2-, respectively. The reason was that the oxidation of the ligand ([Fe^Ⅱ(EDTA)]) formed by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and divalent iron was promoted by SiO₃^2- and HPO₄^2-. The formation of OH in the US/ZEA system was inhibited by the corrosion inhibition of SO₄^2- on zero-valent iron (ZVI), the reaction of ferric salt with EDTA, and the reaction of Mg(OH)₂ with the ligand ([Fe^III(EDTA)]). This work provides an essential theoretical insight into the role of the inorganic components of sludge in the removal of PAHs by advanced oxidation processes.

Phenanthrene adsorption on soils from the Yangtze River Delta region under different pH and temperature conditions

The phenanthrene (PHE) adsorption on soils from the Yangtze River Delta region under different pH and temperature conditions was studied in the laboratory. Results showed that the sorption of PHE on all soils was nonlinear and fitted to the Freundlich isotherm. The PHE adsorption on the soils is related to the content of organic carbons and the environmental conditions. There was a positive correlation (the correlation coefficient was 0.956) between the PHE adsorption and the soil organic carbon content. Adsorption on the soils at 15 °C ambient temperature was higher than at 25 °C, which was related to PHE solubility enthalpy. Adsorption on the soils in background solution at pH 5.0 was higher than in those at pH 6.2 and 7.5, which may be related to alteration of the hydrophobic character of humic substances. This study showed that intrinsic organic carbons influenced the adsorption of PHE, which was affected by environmental conditions, such as pH and temperature. Therefore, the characteristics of soil organic carbon should be considered first for implementing effective schemes for the remediation of contaminated soils and in the formulation of soil environmental quality standards.

Sludge treatment by integrated ultrasound-Fenton process: Characterization of sludge organic matter and its impact on PAHs removal

In this work, the impact of organic matter on the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in textile dyeing sludge by ultrasound-Fenton process has been studied. Sludge organic matter (SOM) was characterized and the degradation efficiencies of PAHs at various oxidation intensities (Fenton's reagent of 20, 70, and 140mmol/L, ultrasonic densities of 0.36, 0.90, and 1.80W/cm³, and reaction time of 15, 25, and 40min) were determined. The results showed that 75.52-84.40% of PAHs and 16.32-31.13% of SOM had degraded after ultrasound-Fenton treatment, confirming the competitive relation between both of them for degradation. The aliphatic SOM fractions were preferentially oxidized owing to their easily degradable properties, while equimolar amounts of the aromatic moieties would require more oxidant compared to the aliphatic fractions. Correlation analysis demonstrated that SOM with its lower content, stronger polarity, and a higher proportion of labile organic fraction was more favourable for PAHs degradation. In addition, the SOM fractions were decomposed to biodegradable matter after treatment, which further enhance the biodegradability of sludge. This study provides insights into the role of SOM in PAHs removal by AOPs, and confirms that the ultrasound-Fenton treatment could not only effectively degrade PAHs, but also modify SOM.

Remediation and cytotoxicity study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated marine sediments using synthesized iron oxide-carbon composite

The study developed a new and cost-effective method for the remediation of marine sediments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles were synthesized as the active component, supported on carbon black (CB), to form a composite catalyst (Fe₃O₄-CB) by using a wet chemical method. The oxidation of 16 PAH contaminants present in marine sediments significantly activated sodium persulfate (Na₂S₂O₈) to form sulfate free radicals (SO₄^-·); this was investigated in a slurry system. In addition, in vitro cytotoxic activity and oxidative stress studies were performed. The synthesized composite catalysts (Fe₃O₄-CB) were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry, and environmental scanning electron microscopy. The efficiency of PAH removal was 39-63% for unactivated persulfate (PS) from an initial dose of 1.7 × 10^-7-1.7 × 10^-2 M. The removal of PAHs was evaluated using Fe₃O₄/PS, CB/PS, and Fe₃O₄/PS and found to be 75, 64, and 86%, respectively, at a temperature of 303 K, PS concentration of 1.7 × 10^-5 M, and pH of 6.0. An MTT assay was used to assess the cytotoxicity of the composite catalyst at five concentrations (25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/mL) on human hepatoma carcinoma (HepG2) cells for 24 h. This revealed a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability. A dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay was performed to evaluate the generation of reactive oxygen species, which principally originated from the ferrous ions of the composite catalyst.

Synthesis of magnetic biochar from bamboo biomass to activate persulfate for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediments

This study developed a new and cost-effective method for the remediation of marine sediments contaminated with PAHs. Fe₃O₄ particles were synthesized as the active component, supported on bamboo biochar (BB) to form a composite catalyst (Fe₃O₄-BB). The effects of critical parameters, including the initial pH, sodium persulfate (PS) concentration, and dose of catalyst were investigated. The concentration of high-molecular-weight PAHs in sediments was much higher than that of low-molecular-weight PAHs; pyrene was an especially prominent marker of PAH contamination in sediments. Fe₃O₄-BB/PS exhibited a substantial improvement in PAH degradation efficiency (degradation rate: Fe₃O₄-BB/PS, 86%; PS, 14%) at a PS concentration of 1.7×10^-5M, catalyst concentration of 3.33g/L, and pH of 3.0. The results of this study demonstrate that possible activation mechanisms include Fe²⁺-Fe³⁺ redox coupling and electron shuttling that mediates electron transfer of the BB oxygen functional groups, promoting the generation of SO₄^- in the Fe₃O₄-BB/PS system.

Evaluation of ethyl lactate as solvent in Fenton oxidation for the remediation of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)-contaminated soil

Due to the health and environmental risks posed by the presence of petroleum-contaminated areas around the world, remediation of petroleum-contaminated soil has drawn much attention from researchers. Combining Fenton reaction with a solvent has been proposed as a novel way to remediate contaminated soils. In this study, a green solvent, ethyl lactate (EL), has been used in conjunction with Fenton's reagents for the remediation of diesel-contaminated soil. The main aim of this research is to determine how the addition of EL affects Fenton reaction for the destruction of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) within the diesel range. Specifically, the effects of different parameters, including liquid phase volume-to-soil weight (L/S) ratio, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentration and EL% on the removal efficiency, have been studied in batch experiments. The results showed that an increase in H₂O₂ resulted in an increase in removal efficiency of TPH from 68.41% at H₂O₂ = 0.1 M to 90.21% at H₂O₂ = 2 M. The lowest L/S, i.e. L/S = 1, had the highest TPH removal efficiency of 85.77%. An increase in EL% up to 10% increased the removal efficiency to 96.74% for TPH, and with further increase in EL%, the removal efficiency of TPH decreased to 89.6%. EL with an optimum value of 10% was found to be best for TPH removal in EL-based Fenton reaction. The power law and pseudo-first order equations fitted well to the experimental kinetic data of Fenton reactions.

Comparison of the effectiveness of soil heating prior or during in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) of aged PAH-contaminated soils

Thermal treatments prior or during chemical oxidation of aged polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils have already shown their ability to increase oxidation effectiveness. However, they were never compared on the same soil. Furthermore, oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (O-PACs), by-products of PAH oxidation which may be more toxic and mobile than the parent PAHs, were very little monitored. In this study, two aged PAH-contaminated soils were heated prior (60 or 90 °C under Ar for 1 week) or during oxidation (60 °C for 1 week) with permanganate and persulfate, and 11 O-PACs were monitored in addition to the 16 US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) PAHs. Oxidant doses were based on the stoichiometric oxidant demand of the extractable organic fraction of soils by using organic solvents, which is more representative of the actual contamination than only the 16 US EPA PAHs. Higher temperatures actually resulted in more pollutant degradation. Two treatments were about three times more effective than the others: soil heating to 60 °C during persulfate oxidation and soil preheating to 90 °C followed by permanganate oxidation. The results of this study showed that persulfate effectiveness was largely due to its thermal activation, whereas permanganate was more sensitive to PAH availability than persulfate. The technical feasibility of these two treatments will soon be field-tested in the unsaturated zone of one of the studied aged PAH-contaminated soils.

Use of different kinds of persulfate activation with iron for the remediation of a PAH-contaminated soil

Contamination of soils by persistent pollutants is considered an important matter of increasing concern. In this work, activated persulfate (PS) was applied for the remediation of a soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as anthracene (ANT), phenanthrene (PHE), pyrene (PYR) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). PS activation was performed by different ways; where ferric, ferrous sulfate salts (1-5mmol·L(-1)) and nanoparticles of zerovalent iron (nZVI) were used as activators. Moreover, in order to improve the oxidation rate of contaminants in the aqueous phase, the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), as anionic surfactant, was tested. On the other hand, it was also studied the role of humic acids (HA), as reducing agent or surfactant, on PAHs conversion. Removal efficiencies near 100% were achieved for ANT and BaP in all the runs carried out. Nevertheless, remarkable differences on removal efficiencies were observed for the different techniques applied in case of PHE and PYR. In this sense, the highest conversions of PHE (80%) and PYR (near 100%) were achieved when nZVI was used as activator. Similar results were obtained when activation was carried out either with Fe(2+) or Fe(3+). This can be explained by the presence of quinone type compounds, as 9,10-anthraquinone (ATQ), that can promote the reduction of Fe(3+) into Fe(2+), permitting PS radicals to be generated. On the other hand, the addition of HA did not produce an improvement of the process while surfactant addition slightly increases the PAHs removal. Furthermore, a kinetic model was developed, describing the behavior of persulfate consumption, and contaminants removal under first order kinetics.

Removal of PCBs in contaminated soils by means of chemical reduction and advanced oxidation processes

Although the chemical reduction and advanced oxidation processes have been widely used individually, very few studies have assessed the combined reduction/oxidation approach for soil remediation. In the present study, experiments were performed in spiked sand and historically contaminated soil by using four synthetic nanoparticles (Fe(0), Fe/Ni, Fe3O4, Fe3 - x Ni x O4). These nanoparticles were tested firstly for reductive transformation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and then employed as catalysts to promote chemical oxidation reactions (H2O2 or persulfate). Obtained results indicated that bimetallic nanoparticles Fe/Ni showed the highest efficiency in reduction of PCB28 and PCB118 in spiked sand (97 and 79 %, respectively), whereas magnetite (Fe3O4) exhibited a high catalytic stability during the combined reduction/oxidation approach. In chemical oxidation, persulfate showed higher PCB degradation extent than hydrogen peroxide. As expected, the degradation efficiency was found to be limited in historically contaminated soil, where only Fe(0) and Fe/Ni particles exhibited reductive capability towards PCBs (13 and 18 %). In oxidation step, the highest degradation extents were obtained in presence of Fe(0) and Fe/Ni (18-19 %). The increase in particle and oxidant doses improved the efficiency of treatment, but overall degradation extents did not exceed 30 %, suggesting that only a small part of PCBs in soil was available for reaction with catalyst and/or oxidant. The use of organic solvent or cyclodextrin to improve the PCB availability in soil did not enhance degradation efficiency, underscoring the strong impact of soil matrix. Moreover, a better PCB degradation was observed in sand spiked with extractable organic matter separated from contaminated soil. In contrast to fractions with higher particle size (250-500 and <500 μm), no PCB degradation was observed in the finest fraction (≤250 μm) having higher organic matter content. These findings may have important practical implications to promote successively reduction and oxidation reactions in soils and understand the impact of soil properties on remediation performance.

Selection of oxidant doses for in situ chemical oxidation of soils contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): A review

In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) is a promising alternative to thermal desorption for the remediation of soils contaminated with organic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). For field application, one major issue is the selection of the optimal doses of the oxidizing solution, i.e. the oxidant and appropriate catalysts and/or additives. Despite an extensive scientific literature on ISCO, this choice is very difficult because many parameters differ from one study to another. The present review identifies the critical factors that must be taken into account to enable comparison of these various contributions. For example, spiked soils and aged, polluted soils cannot be compared; PAHs freshly spiked into a soil are fully available for degradation unlike a complex mixture of pollutants trapped in a soil for many years. Another notable example is the high diversity of oxidation conditions employed during batch experiments, although these affect the representativeness of the system. Finally, in this review a methodology is also proposed based on a combination of the stoichiometric oxidant demand of the organic pollutants and the design of experiments (DOE) in order to allow a better comparison of the various studies so far reported.

Treatability assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contaminated marine sediments using permanganate, persulfate and Fenton oxidation processes

Various chemical oxidation techniques, such as potassium permanganate (KMnO4), sodium persulfate (Na2S2O8), Fenton (H2O2/Fe(2+)), and the modified persulfate and Fenton reagents (activated by ferrous complexes), were carried out to treat marine sediments that were contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and dredged from Kaohsiung Harbor in Taiwan. Experimental results revealed that KMnO4 was the most effective of the tested oxidants in PAH degradation. Owing to the high organic matter content in the sediment that reduced the efficiencies of Na2S2O8 and regular Fenton reactions, a large excess of oxidant was required. Nevertheless, KH2PO4, Na4P2O7 and four chelating agents (EDTA, sodium citrate, oxalic acid, and sodium oxalate) were utilized to stabilize Fe(II) in activating the Na2S2O8 and Fenton oxidations, while Fe(II)-citrate remarkably promoted the PAH degradation. Increasing the molecular weight and number of rings of PAH did not affect the overall removal efficiencies. The correlation between the effectiveness of the oxidation processes and the physicochemical properties of individual PAH was statistically analyzed. The data implied that the reactivity of PAH (electron affinity and ionization potential) affected its treatability more than did its hydrophobicity (Kow, Koc and Sw), particularly using experimental conditions under which PAHs could be effectively oxidized.

Effect of pre-heating on the chemical oxidation efficiency: implications for the PAH availability measurement in contaminated soils

Three chemical oxidation treatments (KMnO4, H2O2 and Fenton-like) were applied on three PAH-contaminated soils presenting different properties to determine the potential use of these treatments to evaluate the available PAH fraction. In order to increase the available fraction, a pre-heating (100 °C under N2 for one week) was also applied on the samples prior oxidant addition. PAH and extractable organic matter contents were determined before and after treatment applications. KMnO4 was efficient to degrade PAHs in all the soil samples and the pre-heating slightly improved its efficiency. H2O2 and Fenton-like treatments presented low efficiency to degrade PAH in the soil presenting poor PAH availability, however, the PAH degradation rates were improved with the pre-heating. Consequently H2O2-based treatments (including Fenton-like) are highly sensitive to contaminant availability and seem to be valid methods to estimate the available PAH fraction in contaminated soils.

Feasibility of treating aged polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-contaminated soils using ethyl lactate-based Fenton treatment via parametric and kinetic studies

This study focuses on the feasibility of treating aged polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-contaminated soils using ethyl lactate (EL)-based Fenton treatment via a combination of parametric and kinetic studies. An optimised operating condition was observed at 66.7 M H2O2 with H2O2/Fe(2+) of 40:1 for low soil organic carbon (SOC) content and mildly acidic soil (pH 6.2), and 10:1 for high SOC and very acidic soil (pH 4.4) with no soil pH adjustment. The desorption kinetic was only mildly shifted from single equilibrium to dual equilibrium of the first-order kinetic model upon ageing. Pretreatment with EL fc = 0.60 greatly reduced the mass transfer coefficient especially for the slow desorbed fraction (kslow) of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs, largely contributed by the concentration gradient created by EL-enhanced solubility. As the major desorption obstacle was almost fully overcome by the pretreatment, the pseudo-first-order kinetic reaction rate constant of PAHs degradation of aged soils was statistically discernible from that of freshly contaminated soils but slightly reduced in high SOC and high acidity soil. Stabilisation of H2O2 by EL addition in combination with reduced Fe(2+) catalyst were able to slow the decomposition rate of H2O2 even at higher soil pH.

Modified Fenton oxidation of diesel fuel in arctic soils rich in organic matter and iron

Modified Fenton (MF) chemistry was tested in the laboratory to treat three diesel fuel-contaminated soils from the Canadian arctic rich in soil organic matter (SOM) and Fe oxides. Reactors were dosed with hydrogen peroxide (HP), and treatment was compared in reactors with SOM as the only chelate vs. reactors to which ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) was added. Concentrations of diesel fuel and HP were measured over time, and the oxidation of both diesel fuel and SOM were quantified in each soil. A distinct selectivity for oxidation of diesel fuel over SOM was observed. Reactors with EDTA showed significantly less diesel fuel oxidation and lower oxidant efficiency (diesel fuel oxidized/HP consumed) than reactors with SOM as the only chelate. The results from these studies demonstrate that MF chemistry can be an effective remedial tool for contaminated arctic soils, and challenge the traditional conceptual model that SOM reduces the efficiency of MF treatment through excessive scavenging of oxidant.

PAHs biodegradation in intertidal surface sediment by indigenous microorganisms

In this study, the 30-day aerobic microorganism-mediated biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated in four size fractions (i.e., <0.002, 0.002-0.031, 0.031-0.063 and >0.063 mm) of sand-dominated sediment S1 and mud-dominated S2 collected from intertidal zones in Bohai Bay (China). Prior to biodegradation, the total quantity of phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene comprised more than 80% of the total quantity of 16 EPA-priority PAHs in each size fraction, with the exception of 70.33% found in the >0.063 mm fraction of sediment S1. Among the three dominant compounds, the intermediate size fraction (0.031-0.063 mm) showed higher levels of biodegradation than other size fractions in sediment S1 and S2. After pooling data from sediment S1 and S2 for joint analysis, it was observed that the biodegraded portion of the three dominant compounds showed negative correlations with both total organic carbon (TOC) and humic coverage index (HCI) in the size fractions. The observed negative correlation with TOC was in agreement with findings in many other studies, but the negative correlation with HCI had not been observed in early studies, which only investigated aged sediment/soil samples. The findings in this study indicated that the greatest bioavailability of PAHs in intertidal surface sediment may be present in sediment particles of intermediate size and mobility, and that intertidal sediment particles are less likely to experience sufficient ageing given periodical tidal disturbance. These findings have important implications for the assessment of the environmental fate of PAHs in intertidal regions.

Permanganate diffusion and reaction in sedimentary rocks

In situ chemical oxidation using permanganate has frequently been used to treat chlorinated solvents in fractured bedrock aquifers. However, in systems where matrix back-diffusion is an important process, the ability of the oxidant to migrate and treat target contaminants within the rock matrix will likely determine the overall effectiveness of this remedial approach. In this study, a series of diffusion experiments were performed to measure the permanganate diffusion and reaction in four different types of sedimentary rocks (dark gray mudstone, light gray mudstone, red sandstone, and tan sandstone). Results showed that, within the experimental time frame (~2 months), oxidant migration into the rock was limited to distances less than 500 μm. The observed diffusivities for permanganate into the rock matrices ranged from 5.3 × 10(-13) to 1.3 × 10(-11) cm(2)/s. These values were reasonably predicted by accounting for both the rock oxidant demand and the effective diffusivity of the rock. Various Mn minerals formed as surface coatings from reduction of permanganate coupled with oxidation of total organic carbon (TOC), and the nature of the formed Mn minerals was dependent upon the rock type. Post-treatment tracer testing showed that these Mn mineral coatings had a negligible impact on diffusion through the rock. Overall, our results showed that the extent of permanganate diffusion and reaction depended on rock properties, including porosity, mineralogy, and organic carbon. These results have important implications for our understanding of long-term organic contaminant remediation in sedimentary rocks using permanganate.

Trichloroethylene oxidation performance in sodium percarbonate (SPC)/Fe2+ system

In this study, in-situ chemical oxidation technique employing Fe(II) catalytic sodium percarbonate (SPC) to stimulate the oxidation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in contaminated groundwater remediation was investigated. The effects of various factors including the SPC/TCE/Fe2+ molar ratio, the initial solution pH and the widely found constituents in groundwater matrix such as Cl(-), HCO3(-), SO4(2-) and NO3(-) anions and natural organic matters were evaluated. The experimental results showed that TCE could be completely oxidized in 5 min at 20 degrees C with a SPC/TCE/Fe2+ molar ratio of 5:1:10, indicating the significant effectiveness of the SPC/Fe2+ system for TCE removal. The initial solution pH value (from 3 to 11) has less influence on TCE oxidation rate. In contrast, Cl(-) and HCO3(-) anions had a negative effect on TCE removal in which HCO3(-) possesses a stronger influence than Cl(-), whereas the effects of both SO4(2-) and NO3(-) anions appeared to be negligible. With the 1.0-10 mg/L concentrations of humic acid in solution, slightly inhibitive effect was observed, suggesting that dissolved organic matters consumed less SPC and had a negligible effect on the oxidation of TCE in SPC/Fe2+ system. From the intermediate products' analyses and the released Cl(-) contents from TCE parent contaminant in solution, all the decomposed TCE had completely dechlorinated and led to carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon. In conclusion, Fe(II) catalytic SPC oxidation is a highly promising technique for TCE-contaminated groundwater remediation, but some complex constituents such as HCO3(-), in in-situ groundwater matrix should be carefully considered for its practical application.

Geochemical and microbiological characteristics during in situ chemical oxidation and in situ bioremediation at a diesel contaminated site

While in situ chemical oxidation with persulfate has seen wide commercial application, investigations into the impacts on groundwater characteristics, microbial communities and soil structure are limited. To better understand the interactions of persulfate with the subsurface and to determine the compatibility with further bioremediation, a pilot scale treatment at a diesel-contaminated location was performed consisting of two persulfate injection events followed by a single nutrient amendment. Groundwater parameters measured throughout the 225 day experiment showed a significant decrease in pH and an increase in dissolved diesel and organic carbon within the treatment area. Molecular analysis of the microbial community size (16S rRNA gene) and alkane degradation capacity (alkB gene) by qPCR indicated a significant, yet temporary impact; while gene copy numbers initially decreased 1-2 orders of magnitude, they returned to baseline levels within 3 months of the first injection for both targets. Analysis of soil samples with sequential extraction showed irreversible oxidation of metal sulfides, thereby changing subsurface mineralogy and potentially mobilizing Fe, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Together, these results give insight into persulfate application in terms of risks and effective coupling with bioremediation.

Pyrene removal from contaminated soils by modified Fenton oxidation using iron nano particles

BACKGROUND

The problems related to conventional Fenton oxidation, including low pH required and production of considerable amounts of sludge have led researchers to investigate chelating agents which might improve the operating range of pH and the use of nano iron particle to reduce the excess sludge. The pyrene removal from contaminated soils by modified Fenton oxidation at neutral pH was defined as the main objective of the current study.

METHODS

Varying concentrations of H2O2 (0-500 mM) and iron nano oxide (0-60 mM), reaction times of 0.5-24 hours and variety of chelating agents including sodium pyrophosphate, sodium citrate, ethylene diamine tetraacetic, fulvic and humic acid were all investigated at pyrene concentration levels of 100 - 500 mg/kg.

RESULTS

By applying the following conditions (H2O2 concentration of 300 mM, iron nano oxide of 30 mM, sodium pyrophosphate as chelating agent, pH 3 and reaction time of 6 hours) the pyrene removal efficiency at an initial concentration of 100 mg/kg was found to be 99%. As a result, the pyrene concentration was reduced from 100 to 93 mg/kg once the above optimum conditions are met.

CONCLUSIONS

In this research, the modified Fenton oxidation using iron nano oxide at optimum conditions is introduced as an efficient alternative method in lab scale for chemical remediation or pre-treatment of soils contaminated by pyrene at neutral pH.

PAH oxidation in aged and spiked soils investigated by column experiments

Soils of former steel-making or coking plants have been contaminated for decades by PAHs. These soils could be cleaned up by In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) but the low PAH availability may be a drawback. The objective of the present contribution was to study the efficiency of PAH oxidation in two aged soils compared to a spiked soil in dynamic conditions. Column experiments were performed with two oxidants: hydrogen peroxide used in modified Fenton's reaction and activated persulfate. The oxidant doses were moderate to ensure the feasibility of process upscaling. Besides, the availability of PAHs in these soils was measured by extraction with a cyclodextrin. Our results showed that oxidation was limited: the higher PAH degradation rate was 30% with the aged soils and 55% with the spiked one. PAH availability was a parameter explaining these results but no direct correlation was found between PAH extractability by the cyclodextrin and oxidation efficiency. Other parameters were also involved, such as the organic carbon content, the calcite content and the pH. This study was a first achievement before studying the influence of a number of parameters on the efficiency of PAH oxidation in aged soils.

Relationships between aging of PAHs and soil properties

Sequestration and diffusion of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seven Chinese soils were investigated for up to 200 days in sterile soil microcosms as functions of soil property and aging time. The aging of the PAHs, assessed using a mild extractant that removes primarily the labile fraction, showed a biphasic behavior. The rapid diffusion from labile to nonlabile domains was mainly dependent upon the distribution of meso- and micropore fraction and total organic carbon content. Meanwhile, the slow diffusion was found to decrease with the increase of the content of soil organic carbon, particularly of hard organic carbon (p < 0.01) and the meso- and micropore fraction, as well as with the increasing molecular size of PAHs. This work offers evidence that analyses of organic carbon fractionation and porosity are important to adequately assess the mechanistic basis of sequestration and diffusion of organic contaminants in soils.

Application of magnetite-activated persulfate oxidation for the degradation of PAHs in contaminated soils

In this study, feasibility of magnetite-activated persulfate oxidation (AP) was evaluated for the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in batch slurry system. Persulfate oxidation activated with soluble Fe(II) (FP) or without activation (SP) was also tested. Kinetic oxidation of PAHs was tracked in spiked sand and in aged PAH contaminated soils at circumneutral pH. Quartz sand was spiked with: (i) single model pollutant (fluorenone) and (ii) organic extract isolated from two PAH contaminated soils (H and NM sampled from ancient coking plants) and was subjected to oxidation. Oxidation was also performed on real H and NM soils with and without an extraction pretreatment. Results indicate that oxidation of fluorenone resulted in its complete degradation by AP while abatement was very low (<20%) by SP or FP. In soil extracts spiked on sand, significant degradation of 16 PAHs was observed by AP (70-80%) in 1 week as compared to only 15% by SP or FP systems. But no PAH abatement was observed in real soils whatever the treatment used (AP, FP or SP). Then soils were subjected to an extraction pretreatment but without isolation of organic extract from soil. Oxidation of this pretreated soil showed significant abatement of PAHs by AP. On the other hand, very low degradation was achieved by FP or SP. Selective degradation of PAHs was observed by AP with lower degradation efficiency towards high molecular weight PAHs. Analyses revealed that no by-products were formed during oxidation. The results of this study demonstrate that magnetite can activate persulfate at circumneutral pH for an effective degradation of PAHs in soils. However, availability of PAHs and soil matrix were found to be the most critical factors for degradation efficiency.

Fenton based remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated soils

This paper aims to review the applications of Fenton based treatments specifically for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated soils. An overview of the background and principles of Fenton treatment catalysed by both homogenous (conventional and modified Fenton) and heterogeneous (Fenton-like) catalysts is firstly presented. Laboratory and field soil remediation studies are then discussed in terms of efficiency, kinetics and associated factors. Four main scopes of integrated Fenton treatments, i.e. physical-Fenton, biological-Fenton, electro-Fenton and photo-Fenton are also reviewed in this paper. For each of these integrated remediation technologies, the theoretical background and mechanisms are detailed alongside with achievable removal efficiencies for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in contaminated soils compared to sole Fenton treatment. Finally, the environmental impacts of Fenton based soil treatments are documented and discussed.

Application of persulfate to remediate petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil: feasibility and comparison with common oxidants

In this study, batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of petroleum-hydrocarbon contaminated soil remediation using persulfate oxidation. Various controlling factors including different persulfate and ferrous ion concentrations, different oxidants (persulfate, hydrogen peroxide, and permanganate), and different contaminants (diesel and fuel oil) were considered. Results show that persulfate oxidation is capable of treating diesel and fuel oil contaminated soil. Higher persulfate and ferrous ion concentrations resulted in higher diesel degrading rates within the applied persulfate/ferrous ion molar ratios. A two-stage diesel degradation was observed in the batch experiments. In addition, treatment of diesel-contaminated soil using in situ metal mineral activation under ambient temperature (e.g., 25°C) may be a feasible option for site remediation. Results also reveal that persulfate anions could persist in the system for more than five months. Thus, sequential injections of ferrous ion to generate sulfate free radicals might be a feasible way to enhance contaminant oxidation. Diesel oxidation efficiency and rates by the three oxidants followed the sequence of hydrogen peroxide>permanganate>persulfate in the limited timeframes. Results of this study indicate that the application of persulfate oxidation is a feasible method to treat soil contaminated by diesel and fuel oil.

Polychlorinated biphenyl behavior in soils amended with biosolids

Assessment of the mobility of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soils, amended with biosolids at a rate of 30Mgha(-1), was performed using an incubation process and leaching columns. The incubation process was carried out for 0, 30, and 60d under field capacity conditions at 25 degrees C. The mobility of PCBs was assessed using solutions of 0.5molL(-1) CaCl(2) and 25mgL(-1) linear alkylbenzenes sulfonate (LAS). Ultrasound-assisted pressurized solvent extraction (US-PSE) was utilized for compound separation from the solid matrix. Compounds were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The biosolids, containing a background PCB concentration about 300microgkg(-1), were spiked with the analytes at 300mgkg(-1) to obtain a clearer determination of their behavior when the biosolid was mixed with soil. In biosolid-amended soils, an increase was observed in the extractability of PCBs with increasing incubation time, which may be attributed to organic matter breakdown. The leaching column study showed that CaCl(2) was unable to mobilize the PCBs from the biosolid to the soil, whereas LAS mobilized these compounds within the time scale implicit in the experiment (30d). The most mobilized congeners in the columns corresponded to those with the greatest molecular weight (hexa- and heptachlorinated), probably due to the higher hydrophobicity of these compounds. Results indicate that the presence of important concentrations of LAS in biosolids could mobilize PCBs from soil to the freatic level.

Remediation of soils contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic micropollutants which are resistant to environmental degradation due to their highly hydrophobic nature. Concerns over their adverse health effects have resulted in extensive studies on the remediation of soils contaminated with PAHs. This paper aims to provide a review of the remediation technologies specifically for PAH-contaminated soils. The technologies discussed here include solvent extraction, bioremediation, phytoremediation, chemical oxidation, photocatalytic degradation, electrokinetic remediation, thermal treatment and integrated remediation technologies. For each of these, the theories are discussed in conjunction with comparative evaluation of studies reported in the specialised literature.