Enhanced oxidation of tetrachloroethylene by Fenton reaction during interaction between nano-hematite and glutathione

Abstract

The enhancement of oxidation of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) by the redox interaction between nano-hematite (nano-Fe2O3) and glutathione(GSH) was investigated. This study revealed the oxidation of PCE by the nano-Fe2O3-GSH occurred via Fenton-like reaction to initiate the formation of OH• and O2‾• radicals. The oxidation kinetic of PCE by the nano-Fe2O3-GSH was enhanced by 600 times greater (0.014 ± 0.003 hr−1) than that by the nano-Fe2O3 alone (0.00023 ± 0.00008 hr−1). The GSH played an important role as the catalyst to enhance redox reaction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ and promoted the formation of OH• and O2‾• radicals at netural and alkaline conditions. The reactivity of GSH was significantly increased at alkaline condition due to the high nucleophilicity of -SH. PCE was completely transformed to oxalic acid in the nano-Fe2O3-GSH suspension. This study provides new knowledge on the redox interaction between nano-Fe2O3 and GSH as a significant reaction mechanism to enhance the oxidation of PCE.