Simultaneous Oxidation and Sequestration of Arsenic(III) from Aqueous Solution by Copper Aluminate with Peroxymonosulfate: A Fast and Efficient Heterogeneous Process.

Abstract

The major problem in arsenic (As(III)) removal using adsorbents is that the method is time-consuming and inefficient owing to the fact that most of the adsorbents are more effective for As(V). Herein, we report a new discovery regarding the significant simultaneous oxidation and sequestration of As(III) by a heterogeneous catalytic process of copper aluminate (CuAl2O4) coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS). Oxidation and adsorption promote each other. With the help of the active radicals, the As(III) removal efficiency can be increased from 59.4 to 99.2% in the presence of low concentrations of PMS (50 μM) and CuAl2O4 (300 mg/L) in solution. CuAl2O4/PMS can work effectively in a wide pH range (3.0–9.0). Other substances, such as nitrate, sulfate, chloride, carbonate, and humic acid, exert an insignificant effect on As(III) removal. Based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, the exposed reductive copper active sites might drive the redox reaction of Cu(II)/Cu(I), which plays a key role in the decomposition of PMS and the oxidation of As(III). The exhausted CuAl2O4 could be refreshed for cycling runs with insignificant capacity loss by the combined regeneration strategy because of the stable spinel structure. According to all results, the CuAl2O4/PMS with favorable oxidation ability and stability could be employed as a promising candidate in real As(III)-contaminated groundwater treatment.