Dechlorination of 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl in aqueous solution by hybrid Fe super(0)/Fe sub(3)O sub(4) nanoparticle system

• Published in: Journal of experimental nanoscience Vol. 10; no. 15; pp. 1166 - 1179
• Main Authors: Wang, Yin, Si, Xiongyuan, Si, Youbin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 13-10-2015
• Subjects: Aqueous solutions; Dechlorination; Degradation; Dosage; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure
• ISSN: 1745-8080; 1745-8099
• DOI: 10.1080/17458080.2014.986228

The kinetics and efficiency of 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB77) degradation in aqueous solution by hybrid Fe super(0)/Fe sub(3)O sub(4) nanoparticle system were investigated. The results showed that nano-sized Fe super(0) and Fe sub(3)O sub(4) could efficiently degrade PCB77, and the residual rate of PCB77 by nano-sized Fe super(0) and Fe sub(3)O sub(4) were 67.70% plus or minus 0.42% and 82.26% plus or minus 2.96%, respectively after 240 min of reaction (for 5 mg.L super(-1) PCB77 and 5 g.L super(-1) nanoparticles). The combined use of nanoscale Fe super(0) and Fe sub(3)O sub(4) could enhance the degradation of PCB77. The dose ratios of nano-sized Fe super(0) and Fe sub(3)O sub(4) significantly affected the PCB77 degradation rate. At Fe super(0)/Fe sub(3)O sub(4) ratios of 1:0.1, 1:0.2 and 1:1, the residual rates of PCB77 were 6.46%, 10.23% and 38.20%, respectively. The PCB77 degradation efficiency was also greatly affected by solution pH, and was maximised at pH 6.8. The degradation of PCB77 by Fe super(0)/Fe sub(3)O sub(4) nanoparticle was a dechlorination process, and the chlorion concentration increased with the decreasing residual rate of PCB77 accordingly. Fe sub(3)O sub(4) provided Fe super(2+) and Fe super(3+) for enhancing the PCB77 degradation by nanoscale Fe super(0), suggesting a synergy between Fe super(0) and Fe sub(3)O sub(4).