Activity and resistance of iron-containing amorphous, zeolitic and mesostructured materials for wet peroxide oxidation of phenol

Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of phenol through mesoporous silica-pillared clays supported iron and/or titanium incorporated catalysts

Catalytic performances of Silica Pillared Clay (SPC) supports synthesized in different silica amounts both from standard SWy-2 clay mineral and Hançılı region bentonite rock (HWB), and iron (Fe) and/or titanium (Ti) incorporated SPCs in different combinations were evaluated in various advanced Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation (CWPO) of phenol. Host clay mineral type led to different oxidation performances and metal loading created significant increases in the catalytic performance. CWPO performance of Fe-loaded SPCs was better than Ti-loaded ones, so oxidation parameters for Fe-SPCs were studied in detail. Catalyst amount and rise in temperature increased phenol conversion values significantly, and catalysts were more effective in lower pH reaction medium. Aromatic intermediates such as catechol, hydroquinone and benzoquinone formed at the beginning of oxidation were oxidized to carboxylic acids with an advancing oxidation time. The presence of carboxylic acids such as oxalic and formic acid resulted in relatively low total organic carbon (TOC) conversion values. The highest catalytic activity was obtained with high silica content Fe-SPCs synthesized with both host clays. Complete conversion was nearly achieved within 60 min with an experimental condition of T = 30 °C, pH = 3.7 and catalyst/solution ratio = 2 g/L for SWy-2 based catalyst by applying either CWPO or PCWPO (Photo Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation) techniques. SCWPO (Sono Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation) technique also yielded this value at the same oxidation conditions for HWB based catalyst. TOC conversion values at 240 min oxidation time were determined as 33% and 48% for SWy-2 based catalyst with CWPO and PCWPO techniques, respectively, and 37% for HWB based catalyst with SCWPO technique. SWy-2 based catalyst still retained its performance after 3 cycles.

Design of Polymer-Embedded Heterogeneous Fenton Catalysts for the Conversion of Organic Trace Compounds

Advanced oxidation processes are the main way to remove persistent organic trace compounds from water. For these processes, heterogeneous Fenton catalysts with low iron leaching and high catalytic activity are required. Here, the preparation of such catalysts consisting of silica-supported iron oxide (Fe2O3/SiOx) embedded in thermoplastic polymers is presented. The iron oxide catalysts are prepared by a facile sol–gel procedure followed by thermal annealing (calcination). These materials are mixed in a melt compounding process with modified polypropylenes to stabilize the Fe2O3 catalytic centers and to further reduce the iron leaching. The catalytic activity of the composites is analyzed by means of the Reactive Black 5 (RB5) assay, as well as by the conversion of phenol which is used as an example of an organic trace compound. It is demonstrated that embedding of silica-supported iron oxide in modified polypropylene turns the reaction order from pseudo-first order (found for Fe2O3/SiOx catalysts), which represents a mainly homogeneous Fenton reaction, to pseudo-zeroth order in the polymer composites, indicating a mainly heterogeneous, surface-diffusion-controlled process.

Nanoporous Fe-Based Alloy Prepared by Selective Dissolution: An Effective Fenton Catalyst for Water Remediation

A fully nanoporous Fe-rich alloy, prepared by selective dissolution of melt-spun Fe_43.5Cu_56.5 ribbons, exhibits outstanding properties as a heterogeneous Fenton catalyst toward the degradation of methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solution. In addition, the ferromagnetic characteristics of this material enable its wireless manipulation toward specific locations within polluted wastewater. The influence of selective dissolution on the microstructure, sample morphology (surface and cross-section), elemental composition, and magnetic properties of the resulting nanoporous alloy is investigated. The dealloying procedure enhances the saturation magnetization and drastically increases the catalytic performance (i.e., the time required for full degradation of MO from the medium is reduced by a factor of approximately 2 by subjecting the Fe_43.5Cu_56.5 ribbons to prior dealloying). Remarkably, the effectiveness of this nanoporous material surpasses the results obtained by the homogeneous Fenton reaction using an equivalent concentration of Fe cations leached into the media from the nanoporous alloy. The different factors that promote the high catalytic activity are discussed. The outstanding catalytic activity, together with the simplicity of the synthetic procedure, makes this material very appealing for water remediation using advanced Fenton processes.

Hydrothermal electrocatalytic oxidation for the treatment of herbicides wastewater

A hydrothermal electrocatalytic oxidation (HTECO) method is adopted to treat the biorefractory and toxic 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicides wastewater on nano-Pt/Ti electrode in the existence of H2O2. Comparisons for the removal of 2,4-D and total organic carbon (TOC) have been carried out between HTECO with individual electrochemical oxidation (EO) and hydrothermal catalytic oxidation (HTCO), showing that high mineralization efficiency was obtained in HTECO process. The possible factors resulting in the high removal efficiency in HTECO process have been studied by investigating the properties of the electrode and solution in hydrothermal condition, the amount of active radicals, the decay kinetic, and evolution of main intermediates of 2,4-D. Thus, an enhanced mechanism for HTECO method for the treatment of herbicides wastewater has been obtained.

Intensified-Fenton process for the treatment of phenol aqueous solutions

An intensified-Fenton process for the treatment of phenol aqueous solutions has been studied as a continuous catalytic wet hydrogen peroxide oxidation system. This process consists of coupling the catalytic activity of a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst with the homogeneous contribution of its dissolved iron species. Agglomerated mesoporous SBA-15 silica-supported iron oxide (Fe₂O₃/SBA-15) material was used as heterogeneous catalyst. The influence of the reaction temperature and the initial hydrogen peroxide dosages was studied in order to minimize the operation cost of the process. The catalytic performance of the process was assessed in terms of total organic carbon (TOC) and hydrogen peroxide conversions. Likewise, the stability of the solid Fenton-like catalyst was also evaluated in terms of the dissolved iron species. The increase of the reaction temperature enhanced the TOC conversion and reduced the iron leaching from the heterogeneous catalyst. These results were related to the degradation of oxalic acid as responsible for iron extraction by formation of soluble stable iron complexes into the aqueous medium. Finally, the use of a moderate hydrogen peroxide concentration (2.6 g/L) and milder temperatures (80-120 °C) has led to remarkable results of TOC and phenol reductions as well as oxidant efficiency through the intensified-Fenton process.

Degradation of bisphenol A in water by the heterogeneous photo-Fenton

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a kind of a controversial endocrine disruptor, and is ubiquitous in environment. The degradation of BPA with the heterogeneous photo-Fenton system was demonstrated in this study. The Fe-Y molecular sieve catalyst was prepared with the ion exchange method, and it was characterized by X-ray radiation diffraction (XRD). The effects ofpH, initial concentration of H2O2, initial BPA concentration, and irradiation intensity on the degradation of BPA were investigated. The service life and iron solubility of catalyst were also tested. XRD test shows that the major phase of the Fe-Y catalyst was Fe2O3. The method of heterogeneous photo-Fenton with Fe-Y catalyst was superior to photolysis, photo-oxidation with only hydrogen, heterogeneous Fenton, and homogeneous photo-Fenton approaches. pH value had no obvious effects on BPA degradation over the range of 2.2-7.2. The initial concentration of H2O2 had an optimal value of 20 x 10(-4) mol/L. The decrease in initial concentration of BPA was favourable for degradation. The intensity of ultraviolet irradiation has no obvious effect on the BPA removal. The stability tests indicated that the Fe-Y catalyst can be reused and iron solubility concentration ranged from NA to 0.0062 mg/L. Based on the results, the heterogeneous photo-Fenton treatment is the available method for the degradation of BPA.

Dissolution of Mesoporous Silica Supports in Aqueous Solutions: Implications for Mesoporous Silica-based Water Treatment Processes

Under pH 7 - 10 conditions, the mesoporous silica supports proposed for use in water treatment are relatively unstable. In batch experiments conducted in pH 7 solutions, the commonly used support SBA-15 dissolved quickly, releasing approximately 30 mg/L of dissolved silica after 2 hours. In column experiments, more than 45% of an initial mass of 0.25 g SBA-15 dissolved within 2 days when a pH 8.5 solution flowed through the column. In a mixed iron oxide/SBA-15 system, the dissolution of SBA-15 changed the iron oxide reactivity toward H(2)O(2) decomposition, because dissolved silica deposited on iron oxide surface and changed its catalytic active sites. As with SBA-15, other mesoporous silica materials including HMS, MCM-41, four types of functionalized SBA-15, and two types of metal oxide-containing SBA-15 also dissolved under circumneutral pH solutions. The dissolution of mesoporous silica materials raises questions about their use under neutral and alkaline pH in aqueous solutions, because silica dissolution might compromise the behavior of the material.

Supported cobalt oxide on graphene oxide: highly efficient catalysts for the removal of Orange II from water

The current paper investigated the removal of the azo dye Orange II from water using advanced oxidation processes based on sulfate radicals. The cobalt oxide catalyst immobilized on graphene oxide (GO) can activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of Orange II in water. The Co(3)O(4)/GO catalyst system was characterized via X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray spectroscopy. Results showed that Co(3)O(4) was distributed on GO. The Co(3)O(4)/GO catalyst system exhibited high activity in Orange II oxidation when the Co(3)O(4)/GO catalyst has an optimum Co(3)O(4) loading. In addition, 100% decomposition could be achieved within 6 min with 0.2mM Orange II, 0.1 g L(-1) catalyst, and 2mM PMS. Meanwhile, inductively coupled plasma analysis revealed that the leach of cobalt ions was low. The catalyst also exhibited stable performance after several rounds of regeneration. Several operational parameters, such as catalyst amount, oxidant amount, pH, temperature, and oxidation rate, affected the degradation of Orange II.

Effect of alkali cations on heterogeneous photo-Fenton process mediated by Prussian blue colloids

This article evaluates Prussian blue (iron hexacyanoferrate) colloids as a heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst for the degradation of Rhodamine B. The emphasis is laid on the effects of alkali metal cations on the photo-Fenton process. The facts show that alkali cations strongly affect the degradation rate of organic species. The degradation rates of Rhodamine B, Malachite Green, and Methyl Orange in the presence of KCl, KNO(3), and K(2)SO(4), respectively, are faster than their degradation rates in the presence of the corresponding sodium salts. The average degradation rates of Rhodamine B in 0.2 M KCl, NaCl, RbCl, and CsCl solution, decline in sequence, and the rate in KCl solution is greater than that without any salt added deliberately. Thus, potassium ions accelerate the degradation rate, but sodium, rubidium, and cesium ions slow the rate. The order of the rates is R(K)>R>R(Na)>R(Rb)>R(Cs), which is consistent with that of the voltammetric oxidation currents of Prussian blue in the corresponding cation solutions. This phenomenon is attributed to the molecular recognition of the microstructure in Prussian blue nanoparticles to the alkali cations. The reaction mechanism of the photo-Fenton process has also been explored.

P-chlorophenol wastewater treatment by microwave-enhanced catalytic wet peroxide oxidation

A microwave-enhanced catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (MW-CWPO) technology was investigated to treat a high concentration of p-chlorophenol wastewater under a mild condition. The MW-CWPO experiments were carried out in a microwave autoclave using copper(II) oxide (CuO)-loaded active carbon as a catalyst. The p-chlorophenol was directly ring-opened within 5 minutes at 343 K and 0.3 MPa and then mineralized to carbon dioxide and water. More than 90% of the total organic carbon was removed within 15 minutes. The reaction activation energy (Ea) of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposition was decreased from 47.7 to 43.1 kJ/mol under microwave irradiation. The H2O2 catalytic decomposition was fitted to a second-order reaction under microwave irradiation, while it followed a first-order reaction without microwave irradiation. The experimental results indicate that the MW-CWPO method has significant potential applications for a high concentration of p-chlorophenol wastewater.

Properties of iron-based mesoporous silica for the CWPO of phenol: a comparison between impregnation and co-condensation routes

Iron-based mesoporous silica materials were prepared according to different impregnation and co-condensation procedures. Several complementary techniques, including XRD, TEM/EDX and nitrogen sorption isotherms were used to evaluate the final structural and textural properties of the calcined Fe/SBA-15 materials. While Fe(2)O(3) isolated particles of which the size is close to the silica pore diameter ( approximately 7-8 nm) were obtained using classical wet impregnation procedure, smaller iron oxide particles ( approximately 2-4 nm) homogeneously dispersed within the hexagonal pore structure of the SBA15 host support were generated by self-combustion of an impregnated iron-glycinic complex. By contrast, the various co-condensation routes used in this work were less efficient to generate iron oxide nanoparticles inside the silica mesopores. Catalytic performances of the materials were evaluated in the case of total phenol oxidation by H(2)O(2) in aqueous solution at ambient conditions. Large differences in terms of catalytic activity and iron species stability were observed. While the impregnated solids proved to be the most active catalysts (highest Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles dispersion), iron leaching was observed in aqueous solution, accounting for a homogeneous catalytic contribution. In contrast, the co-condensed samples exhibiting larger iron oxide clusters stabilized over the silica surface proved more efficient as active sites in Fenton catalysis.

A silica-supported iron oxide catalyst capable of activating hydrogen peroxide at neutral pH values

Iron oxides catalyze the conversion of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) into oxidants capable of transforming recalcitrant contaminants. Unfortunately, the process is relatively inefficient at circumneutral pH values because of competing reactions that decompose H(2)O(2) without producing oxidants. Silica- and alumina-containing iron oxides prepared by sol-gel processing of aqueous solutions containing Fe(ClO(4))(3), AlCl(3), and tetraethyl orthosilicate efficiently catalyzed the decomposition of H(2)O(2) into oxidants capable of transforming phenol at circumneutral pH values. Relative to hematite, goethite, and amorphous FeOOH, the silica-iron oxide catalyst exhibited a stoichiometric efficiency, defined as the number of moles of phenol transformed per mole of H(2)O(2) consumed, which was 10-40 times higher than that of the iron oxides. The silica-alumina-iron oxide catalyst had a stoichiometric efficiency that was 50-80 times higher than that of the iron oxides. The significant enhancement in oxidant production is attributable to the interaction of Fe with Al and Si in the mixed oxides, which alters the surface redox processes, favoring the production of strong oxidants during H(2)O(2) decomposition.

Heterogeneous photo-Fenton degradation of polyacrylamide in aqueous solution over Fe(III)-SiO(2) catalyst

This article presents preparation, characterization and evaluation of heterogeneous Fe(III)-SiO(2) catalysts for the photo-Fenton degradation of polyacrylamide (PAM) in aqueous solution. Fe(III)-SiO(2) catalysts are prepared by impregnation method with two iron salts as precursors, namely Fe(NO(3))(3) and FeSO(4), and are characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. The irradiated Fe(III)-SiO(2) is complexed with 1,10-phenanthroline, then is measured by UV-vis-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis-DRS) and XPS to confirm the oxidation state of Fe in solid state. By investigating the photo-Fenton degradation of PAM in aqueous solution, the results indicate that Fe(III)-SiO(2) catalysts exhibit an excellent photocatalytic activity in the degradation of PAM. Moreover, the precursor species and the OH(-)/Fe mole ratio affect the photocatalytic activity of Fe(III)-SiO(2) catalysts to a certain extent. Finally, the amount of Fe ions leaching from the Fe(III)-SiO(2) catalysts is much low.

Technologies for the removal of phenol from fluid streams: a short review of recent developments

The available technologies for the abatement of phenol from water and gaseous streams are briefly reviewed, and the recent advancements summarized. Separation technologies such as distillation, liquid-liquid extraction with different solvents, adsorption over activated carbons and polymeric and inorganic adsorbents, membrane pervaporation and membrane-solvent extraction, have been discussed. Destruction technologies such as non-catalytic, supercritical and catalytic wet air oxidation, ozonation, non-catalytic, catalytic and enzymatic peroxide wet oxidation, electrochemical and photocatalytic oxidation, supercritical wet gasification, destruction with electron discharges as well as biochemical treatments have been considered. As for the abatement of phenol from gases, condensation, absorption in liquids, adsorption on solids, membrane separation, thermal, catalytic, photocatalytic and biological oxidation have also been considered. The experimental conditions and the performances of the different techniques have been compared.

Phenol oxidation by a sequential CWPO-CWAO treatment with a Fe/AC catalyst

Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of phenol with a homemade Fe/activated carbon (Fe/AC) catalyst has been studied in a stainless steel fixed-bed reactor at different operating conditions (T=23-100 degrees C, P(T)=1-8atm, W=0-2.5g, and tau=20-320g(CAT)h/g(Phenol)). The results show that, thanks to the incorporation of Fe on the activated carbon, phenol conversion improved dramatically, reaching a 90% at 65 degrees C, 2atm, and 40g(CAT)h/g(Phenol). However, TOC conversion values remain fairly low, (around 5% at 40g(CAT)h/g(Phenol)), and no improvement was obtained with the inclusion of Fe. The presence of Fe seems to promote the nondesirable coupling reactions that take place in CWPO of phenol due to the condensation of the ring intermediates (the primary phenol oxidation products). These condensation products are quite refractory to CWPO at the conditions employed. Taking advantage of the high phenol conversions in CWPO and the high phenol mineralization in CWAO, along with the good stability of the Fe/AC catalyst, a CWPO-CWAO sequential treatment has been successfully performed by using a fixed-bed and trickle-bed reactor in series. A CWPO treatment at ambient conditions followed by a CWAO treatment at mild conditions (100 degrees C and 8atm) is presented as high efficiency process for the decontamination of phenolic wastewaters.