A highly efficient flow-through electro-Fenton system enhanced with nitrilotriacetic acid for phenol removal at neutral pH

Abstract

Low pH requirement is one of the biggest limitations of the application of traditional Fenton and electro-Fenton (EF) process because FeII/FeIII would precipitate at high pH. In this study, a flow-through EF system operated in batch recirculation mode was constructed. Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) was used as a chelating agent in the EF system (NTA/EF) to keep iron soluble at high pH values, producing OH by reaction of H2O2 generated in situ with FeIINTA that obtained by the reduction of FeIIINTA at the cathode. This flow-through NTA/EF system accelerated the mass transfer of target molecules to the electrode surface and showed high efficiency for phenol removal at pH 5–8 with rate constants (k) at around 0.26 min−1, higher than that of the batch test (k = 0.15 min−1) and EF process without NTA (k = 0.16 min−1). The influences of aeration rate, current, flow rate, Fe dose, the ratio of NTA to Fe, pH, and initial phenol concentration on the phenol removal were investigated. The system could be used for at least 3 times for phenol removal without obvious efficiency decline. The flow-through NTA/EF system is promising for the removal of organic contaminants in a wide pH range.