Effect of reaction environments on the reactivity of PCB (2-chlorobiphenyl) over activated carbon impregnated with palladized iron

Abstract

Reactive activated carbon (RAC) impregnated with palladized iron nanoparticles has been developed to treat polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we evaluated the effects of various reaction environments on the adsorption-mediated dechlorination of 2-chlorobiphenyl (2-ClBP) in the RAC system. The results were discussed in close connection to the implementation issue of the RAC system for the remediation of contaminated sites with PCBs. Adsorption event of 2-ClBP onto RAC limited the overall performance under condition with a 2-ClBP/RAC mass ratio of less than 1.0 × 10 −4 above which dechlorination of 2-ClBP adsorbed to RAC was the reaction rate-determining step. Acidic and basic conditions were harmful to 2-ClBP adsorption and iron stability while neutral pH showed the highest adsorption-promoted dechlorination of 2-ClBP and negligible metal leaching. Coexisting natural organic matter (NOM) slightly inhibited 2-ClBP adsorption onto RAC due to the partial partitioning of 2-ClBP into NOM in the liquid phase while the 2-ClBP absorbed into NOM, which also tended to adsorb onto RAC, was less available for the dechlorination reaction. Common anions slowed down 2-ClBP adsorption but adsorbed 2-ClBP was almost simultaneously dechlorinated. Some exceptions included strong inhibitory effect of carbonate species on 2-ClBP adsorption and severe detrimental effect of sulfite on 2-ClBP dechlorination. Results on treatment of 2-ClBP spiked to actual sediment supernatants implied site-specific reactivity of RAC.