Optimization of heterogeneous Fenton-like process with Cu-Fe@CTS as catalyst for degradation of organic matter in leachate concentrate and degradation mechanism research

A novel fenton-like catalyst for efficient degradation of tetracycline: Application of the concept of "treating the wastes with wastes"

The effective disposal of waste glass is currently a difficult problem. Herein, a novel Fenton-like catalyst (FG@PAM-Fe3O4) with excellent comprehensive properties was prepared for the degradation of tetracycline (TC). Foam glass (FG) prepared from waste glass was selected as the carrier and modified by polyacrylamide (PAM) to improve its adsorption performance. Batch experiments show that 20 mg/L TC is 100 % degraded by FG@PAM-Fe3O4 within 30 min, and the efficacy is still higher than 80 % after 10 times recycling. Meanwhile, FG@PAM-Fe3O4 is just slightly affected by the changes in pH value from 3.0 to 11.0. FG@PAM-Fe3O4 exhibits good anti-interference performance against different inorganic ions and organic pollutants. Notably, the removal efficiency of 20 mg/L TC in the column loading experiment is still nearly 80 % over 10 days with a flowing speed of 0.61 L/h, indicating the good practical application potential of FG@PAM-Fe3O4. Biotoxicity analysis shows that FG@PAM-Fe3O4 greatly reduced the harm of TC, making it more susceptible to biodegradation. In brief, the environmentally friendly concept of "treating the wastes with wastes" was applied to the treatment of effluent in this work. FG@PAM-Fe3O4 can effectively treat wastewater while consuming waste glass, which is of great significance for both sectors.

Enhanced leachate concentrate degradation across variable pH ranges using Cu@ATP-CTS Fenton-like catalysts for H₂O₂ activation

Landfill leachate nanofiltration concentrates (LLNC) contain complex organic pollutants that are difficult to treat. This study developed a copper-doped attapulgite-chitosan composite catalyst (Cu@ATP-CTS) for efficient LLNC degradation in a Fenton-like system. The incorporation of attapulgite extended the effective pH range of Fenton reactions from 2 to 8, overcoming traditional limitations. Optimized via response surface methodology, the catalyst achieved 89.02% UV254 removal, 73.86% COD removal, and 77.24% TOC removal within 115 min under optimal conditions. Copper played a crucial role in H₂O₂ activation, cycling between Cu0, Cu+, and Cu2+ to generate hydroxyl radicals (·OH), the key species driving pollutant degradation. The Cu@ATP-CTS catalyst also demonstrated strong stability and reusability over five cycles. This study provides a robust and sustainable method for LLNC treatment, offering significant potential for application in landfill leachate and wastewater management.

The effect of UV365/Fenton process on the removal of gaseous ethylbenzene in a bubble column reactor

As volatile organic compounds (VOCs), gaseous ethylbenzene has adverse effects on human health and ecology. Therefore, an effective degradation process is highly desirable. The Fenton process under UV 365 nm was selected as the first option to remove gaseous ethylbenzene in a bubble column reactor. The main parameters for the batch experiments were systematically studied, including H2O2 concentration, [H2O2]/[Fe2+], pH, UV wavelength, UV intensity, gaseous ethylbenzene concentration, gas flow rate, and process stability towards removal efficiency. The optimum conditions were found to be H2O2 concentration of 100 mmol·L-1, [H2O2]/[Fe2+] of 4, pH of 3.0, UV wavelength of 365 nm, UV power of 5 W, gas flow rate of 900 mL·min-1, and gaseous ethylbenzene concentration of 30 ppm, resulting in a removal efficiency of 76.3%. The study found that the Fenton process, when coupled with UV 365 nm, was highly effective in removing gaseous ethylbenzene. The degradation mechanism of gaseous ethylbenzene was proposed in the UV365/Fenton process based on EPR, radical quenching experiments, iron analysis, carbon balance, and GC-MS analysis. The results indicated that •OH played a crucial role in the process.

Oxidative degradation of chitosan by Fe-MCM-41 heterogeneous Fenton-like system

We herein disclosed an efficient multiphase Fenton-like catalytic system for oxidative degradation of chitosan. By utilizing Fe-MCM-41, featured with regular mesoporous structure and high specific surface area, the activation efficiency of H2O2 was significantly enhanced and the chitosan degradation efficiency proved by 28.1% higher than the conventional system using H2O2 alone. Under optimized conditions (5 g/L chitosan, 0.5 g/L Fe-MCM-41, 0.16 mol/L CH3COOH, 0.86 mol/L H2O2, 50 °C, 140 min), the viscosity reduction rate of chitosan reached an impressive 98.2%. Among the catalysts tested, Fe-MCM-41 with a loading factor of x = 0.12 demonstrated optimal degradation performance. After four recycles, the degradation efficiency maintained > 93.6%, demonstrating its excellent stability and recyclability for potential industrial applications. Kinetic studies provided further elucidation of the reaction mechanism, which indicated that the degradation process of chitosan followed a first-order kinetic model, with an apparent activation energy (Ea) of 48.91 kJ/mol. This novel and efficient strategy for chitosan degradation, addressed the challenges of catalyst recovery and secondary pollution typically associated with traditional Fenton systems, and posed broad application potential for polysaccharide material processing.

The electrocatalytic degradation of 1,4-dioxane by Co-Bi/GAC particle electrode

Efficient degradation of industrial organic wastewater has become a significant environmental concern. Electrochemical oxidation technology is promising due to its high catalytic degradation ability. In this study, Co-Bi/GAC particle electrodes were prepared and characterized for degradation of 1,4-dioxane. The electrochemical process parameters were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM), and the influence of water quality factors on the removal rate of 1,4-dioxane was investigated. The results showed that the main influencing factors were the Co/Bi mass ratio and calcination temperature. The carrier metals, Co and Bi, existed mainly on the GAC surface as Co3O4 and Bi2O3. The removal of 1,4-dioxane was predominantly achieved through the synergistic reaction of electrode adsorption, anodic oxidation, and particle electrode oxidation, with ·OH playing a significant role as the main active free radical. Furthermore, the particle electrode was demonstrated in different acid-base conditions (pH = 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11). However, high concentrations of Cl- and NO3- hindered the degradation process, potentially participating in competitive reactions. Despite this, the particle electrode exhibited good stability after five cycles. The results provide a new perspective for constructing efficient and stable three-dimensional (3D) electrocatalytic particle electrodes to remove complex industrial wastewater.

Core-Shell Hierarchical Fe/Cu Bimetallic Fenton Catalyst with Improved Adsorption and Catalytic Performance for Congo Red Degradation

The preparation of heterogeneous Fenton catalysts with both adsorption and catalytic properties has become an effective strategy for the treatment of refractory organic wastewater. In this work, 4A-Fe@Cu bimetallic Fenton catalysts with a three-dimensional core-shell structure were prepared by a simple, template-free, and surfactant-free methodology and used in the adsorption and degradation of Congo red (CR). The results showed that the open three-dimensional network structure and the positive charge of the surface of the 4A-Fe@Cu catalyst could endow a high adsorption capacity for CR, reaching 432.9 mg/g. The good adsorption property of 4A-Fe@Cu for CR not only did not inactivate the catalytic site on 4A-Fe@Cu but also could promote the contact between CR and the active sites on the catalyst surface and accelerate the degradation process. The 4A-Fe@Cu bimetallic catalyst exhibited higher catalytic activity than monometallic 4A@Cu and/or 4A-Fe catalysts due to low work function value. The effects of different pH, H2O2 dosages, and catalyst dosages on the catalytic performance of 4A-Fe@Cu were explored. In the conditions of 7.2 mM H2O2, 2 g/L 4A-Fe@Cu, and 1 g/L CR solution, the degradation ratio of CR by 4A-Fe@Cu could reach 99.2% at pH 8. This strategy provided guidance to the design of high-performance Fenton-like catalysts with both adsorption and catalysis properties for dye wastewater treatment.

Harnessing inorganic nanomaterials for chemodynamic cancer therapy

The most important aspect of chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is the harnessing of Fenton or Fenton-like chemistry for cancer therapy within the tumor microenvironment, which occurs because of the moderate acidity and overexpressed H₂O₂ in the tumor microenvironment. Hydroxyl radicals (^•OH) produced within tumor cells via Fenton and Fenton-like reactions cause cancer cell death. Reactive oxygen species-mediated CDT demonstrates a desired anticancer impact without the need for external stimulation or the development of drug resistance. Cancer therapy based on CDT is known as a viable cancer therapy modality. This review discusses the most recent CDT advancements and provides some typical instances. As a result, potential methods for further improving CDT efficiency under the guidance of Fenton chemistry are offered.

Advanced oxidation process based on hydroxyl and sulfate radicals to degrade refractory organic pollutants in landfill leachate

As a special type of wastewater produced in the landfill, leachate is mainly composed of organic pollutants, inorganic salts, ammonia nitrogen and heavy metals, and featured by high pollutants concentration, complex composition and large fluctuations in water quality and volume. Biological, chemical and physical methods have been proposed to treat landfill leachate, but much attention has been paid to the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), due to their high adaptability and organic degradation efficiency. This paper summarizes the recent findings on the AOPs based on hydroxyl radical (OH) (e.g., ozonation and catalyzed ozone oxidations, Fenton and Fenton-like oxidations) and sulfate radical (SO₄^-) (e.g., activated and catalyzed persulfate oxidations), especially the production routes of free radicals and mechanisms of action. When dealing with some special landfill leachates, it is difficult for a single advanced oxidation technology to achieve the expected results, but the synergistic combination with biological or physical methods can produce satisfactory outcomes. Therefore, this paper has summarized the application of these combined treatment technologies on landfill leachate.