Oxidative degradation of dinitro butyl phenol (DNBP) utilizing hydrogen peroxide and solar light over a Al2O3-supported Fe(III)-5-sulfosalicylic acid (ssal) catalyst

A novel and efficient photo-Fenton catalyst of Fe(III)-5-sulfosalicylic acid (ssal) supported on Al(2)O(3) was prepared and characterized by FT-IR and TEM-EDX technique. A detailed investigation of photocatalytic degradation of 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (DNBP) using this catalyst and H(2)O(2) under solar light irradiation was carried out. The effects of reaction parameters on photodegradation performance were investigated by examining H(2)O(2) dosage, catalyst loading, solution pH, initial DNBP concentration and temperature. The optimal conditions were an initial DNBP concentration of 40 mg L(-1) at pH 2.5 and temperature 30 degrees C with catalyst loading of 1.0 g L(-1) and H(2)O(2) concentration of 5 mmol L(-1) under solar light irradiation for 100 min. Almost complete degradation of DNBP was observed with [Fe(III)-ssal]-Al(2)O(3)/H(2)O(2) process under the optimal conditions. The degradation of DNBP by photo-Fenton-type process can be divided into the initiation phase and the fast phase. The kinetics of Fenton oxidation is complex and the degradation of DNBP in the two phases both can be described by a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. No obvious decline in efficiency of the [Fe(III)-ssal]-Al(2)O(3) catalyst was observed after 5 repeated cycles indicating this catalyst is stable and reusable. A possible reaction mechanism was proposed on the basis of all the information obtained under various experimental conditions.

Evaluation of a TiO2 photocatalysis treatment on nitrophenols and nitramines contaminated plant wastewaters by solid-phase extraction coupled with ESI HPLC-MS

Nitration reactions of aromatic compounds are commonly involved in different industrial processes for pharmaceutical, pesticide or military uses. For many years, most of the manufacturing sites used lagooning systems to treat their process effluents. In view of a photocatalytic degradation assay, the wastewater of a lagoon was investigated by using HPLC coupled with mass spectrometry. The wastewater was highly concentrated in RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine), HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine) and two herbicides Dinoterb (2-tert-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol) and Dinoseb (2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol). First of all, an analytical method using solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with HPLC ESI MS/MS was put in work for identification and titration of RDX, HMX and the two dinitrophenols in a complex natural matrix. Then, the UV/TiO2 treatment was investigated for pollutants removal. Dinitrophenolic compounds were significantly degraded after a 8-h-exposition of the wastewater/TiO2 suspension, whereas RDX and HMX were poorly affected.

Photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/TiO2 composite in aqueous solution under solar irradiation

Nanosized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/TiO2 composite and neat TiO2 photocatalysts were synthesized by sol-gel technique using tetrabutyl titanate as a precursor. The as prepared photocatalysts were characterized using XRD, SEM, FTIR and UV-vis spectra. The samples were evaluated for their photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) under solar irradiation. The results indicated that the addition of an appropriate amount of MWCNTs could remarkably improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO2. An optimal MWCNTs:TiO2 ratio of 0.05% (w/w) was found to achieve the maximum rate of DNP degradation. The effects of pH, irradiation time, catalyst concentration, DNP concentration, etc. on the photocatalytic activity were studied and the results obtained were fitted to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model to study the degradation kinetics. The optimal conditions were an initial DNP concentration of 38.8 mg/L at pH 6.0 with catalyst concentration of 8 g/L under solar irradiation for 150 min with good recyclisation of catalyst. The degree of photocatalytic degradation of DNP increased with an increase in temperature. The MWCNTs/TiO2 composite was found to be very effective in the decolorization and COD reduction of real wastewater from DNP manufacturing. Thus, this study showed the feasible and potential use of MWCNTs/TiO2 composite in degradation of various toxic organic contaminants and industrial effluents.

Effect of various sono-oxidation parameters on the removal of aqueous 2,4-dinitrophenol

The influences of ultrasonic output intensity, solution pH, H2O2 concentration and the addition of Fenton reagent on the degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) under ultrasonic irradiation were investigated. It was observed that the degradation of DNP fitted pseudo-first-order dynamics under our experimental conditions. Increasing the ultrasonic output intensity increased the degradation efficiency of DNP and low pH favored the ultrasonic degradation of DNP. The addition of H2O2 enhanced the ultrasonic degradation efficiency of DNP. The further addition of Cu2+, however, hindered the degradation of DNP. In contrast, sono-oxidation treatment in combination with FeSO4/H2O2 showed a synergistic effect for DNP degradation.