Effect of cysteine using Fenton processes on decolorizing different dyes: a kinetic study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Amino acid cysteine has been used as reducing mediator with the aim of improving dye degradation by homogeneous Fenton processes (Fe2+/H2O2 and Fe3+/H2O2). Through its known Fe3+-reducing activity, this amino acid can enhance the production of reactive oxygen species as HO• (hydroxyl radical) and its pro-oxidant properties have been verified while decolorizing diverse dyes in the present work. Its presence enhanced decolorization of Methyl Orange, Phenol Red, Safranin T, Rhodamine B, Reactive Black 5 and Reactive Yellow 2, mainly in reactions initially containing Fe3+ as a catalyst (Fe3+-reactions). E.g. Fe3+/H2O2 and Fe3+/H2O2/cysteine systems decolorized 27% and 44% of Phenol Red after 60 min, respectively. A kinetic modeling analysis has revealed that 1st-order and mainly 2nd-order kinetic models were well fitted to both Fe2+- and Fe3+-reactions data. Improvements in reaction rate constants have been observed by adding cysteine. In experiments performed at varied temperatures, it was found a decrease in activation energy (Ea) due to cysteine addition while decolorizing Safranin T: Ea decreased from 104.6 to 88.9 kJ mol−1 for Fe3+-reactions and from 81.0 to 52.2 kJ mol−1 for Fe2+-reactions. Therefore, it was found that cysteine decreases the energy barrier so as to improve Fenton-based decolorization reactions.