Reduction of Cr (VI) by organic acids in the presence of Al (III)

Abstract

The effects of Al (III) on the reduction of Cr (VI) by three α-hydroxy acids, tartaric, malic and citric acids, were investigated through batch experiments at pH from 2.5 to 4.0 and temperatures from 25°C to 35°C. These reactions could be described as pseudo-zero-order with respect to Cr (VI) when the concentrations of α-hydroxy acids were greatly in excess. The transformation rates of Cr (VI) to Cr (III) in the presence of Al (III) without light were in the decreasing order of tartaric acid>malic acid>citric acid. This order suggested that the two α-hydroxyl groups in tartaric acid could play an important role in the reduction of Cr (VI) by organic acids. The possible mechanism was that the formed complex between organic acids and Al (III) significantly enhanced the reductivity of α-hydroxy acids and further led to the more complicated Cr (VI)–tartaric acid–Al (III) cyclic ester which greatly accelerated the reduction rate. The Cr (VI) reduction reaction rate increased with the decrease of pH but with the increase of Al (III) concentration, tartaric acid concentration, and temperature. As the pH decreased, the increase of [H+] led to an increase in {Al(III)H2Tar2}+, the most active species, and thus the enhanced reduction rate.