Comparison of the Fe2+/H2O2 and Fe2+/PMS systems in simulated sludge: Removal of PAHs, migration of elements and formation of chlorination by-products

Abstract

In this study, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at practical concentrations in the simulated sludge treated by the Fe2+/H2O2 and Fe2+/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) systems were evaluated in terms of the PAHs (phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene) removal, element migration, Cl− effect, and chlorination by-product formation. The results indicated that according to the removal rate of PAHs, the optimal dosage of the Fe2+/PMS system (∑PAHs removal rate was 64.66 ± 2.82 %) was 1/30 of that for the Fe2+/H2O2 system (∑PAHs removal rate was 78.63 ± 0.38 %). The elemental contents in the simulated sludge were mainly affected by the extent of advanced oxidation and the amount of generated iron flocs. By studying the PAHs removal, free chlorine formation, total organochlorine content, and PAHs products in Fe2+/H2O2/Cl- and Fe2+/PMS/Cl- systems, it was found that chlorine radicals (·Cl) had high reactivity with phenanthrene and fluoranthene, whereas dichloride anion radicals (Cl2·-) exhibited the opposite behavior. Furthermore, PAHs were oxidized by ·Cl and hydroxyl radical in the Fe2+/H2O2/Cl- system, whereas PAHs and their products were chlorinated by free chlorine and ·Cl in the Fe2+/PMS/Cl- system to six chlorinated by-products such as Cl-PAHs (9-Cl-phenanthrene, 2-Cl-anthracene, 9,10-Cl2-anthracene, 3-Cl-fluoranthene). These results provide some useful suggestions for the safe advanced oxidation process treatment of textile dyeing sludge.