Oxidation Of nZVI Research Articles

High stability and reactivity of porous calcium tartrate supported nano zero-valent iron in aerobic environment and alkaline wastewater

Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) has remarkable reactivity, but its practical application is severely hindered by its easy aggregation and rapid oxidation after exposure in air. In this study, spherical porous calcium tartrate (CaTr) was synthesized with ultrasound technology and used to support nZVI. It was found that the as-obtained nZVI@CaTr was highly stable and reactive in oxygen-rich water under neutral/alkaline conditions. In the pH range of 4–9, the degradation efficiency of p-nitrophenol (PNP, 50 mg/L) by nZVI@CaTr7 exceeded 98.1 %. Importantly, nZVI@CaTr could be stored in air for a long time without inert gas protection. After 60 days and 120 days of air exposure, the removal efficiency of PNP still reached 83.3 % and 63.3 %, which was 2.8 and 9.7 times that of bare nZVI, respectively. Such an excellent performance could be attributed to two reasons: (i) spherical CaTr effectively inhibited the oxidation and aggregation of nZVI by favorable interactions with nZVI, and (ii) the abundant functional groups on the surface of CaTr acted as electronic mediators to significantly promote charge transfer between nZVI (electron donor) and PNP (electron acceptor). Therefore, cheap, air stable and highly effective nZVI@CaTr7 provided a potential application prospect for the degradation of environmental pollutants in aerobic environment and alkaline wastewater.

Synergistic adsorption and degradation of sulfonylurea herbicides by biochar-supported nano zero-valent iron composites in in-situ soil remediation

The extensive and continuous application of sulfonylurea herbicide is crucial for weed management but has resulted in widespread non-point source pollution. In this study, nano zero-valent iron/biochar (nZVI/BC) was synthesized by using FeCl3-impregnated corn stalks under anoxic pyrolysis conditions, which was applied in the in-situ remediation of bensulfuron methyl (BSFM) and sulfometuron methyl (SMTM) polluted soil. The results show that nZVI/BC with a 2.7 ratio of Fe/C had the highest efficiency in removing sulfonylurea herbicides. The removal efficiencies of BSFM and SMTM by nZVI/BC were negatively correlated to initial concentrations of sulfonylurea herbicides and positively correlated to nZVI/BC addition amount in the soil. Moreover, nZVI/BC could remove 53 % of BSFM and 72 % of SMTM at the concentration of 5 mg/kg after 21 d, which was much higher than that of BC. Notably, the removal efficiency of BSFM by nZVI/BC reached 36 % within 7 d, while the removal efficiency of SMTM by nZVI/BC was up to 68 % even within 3 d. The adsorption of herbicides by nZVI/BC was mainly driven by chemical processes involving multilayer adsorption. Furthermore, the removal mechanisms of BMTM and SMTM by nZVI/BC also involved C = O and C–O groups and oxidation of nZVI to FeO and Fe3O4 along with the cleavage of the sulfonylurea bridge. This study provides a promising application of nZVI/BC in in-situ remediating sulfonylurea herbicide- polluted soil.

One-pot fabrication of nanoscale zero-valent iron scaffolded onto graphitic carbon nitride as bifunctional nanohybrid in sequestering U(VI) and Cr(VI) with boost performance and intrinsic mechanism

In this paper, we reported an innovative one-pot fabrication approach of a bifunctional nanohybrid through scaffolding of nanoscale zero-valent iron onto the inter-layer structure of graphitic carbon nitride in sequestering U(VI) and Cr(VI) in wastewater. The microstructures, morphologies and chemical compositions of the as–fabricated g-C3N4/NZVI nanohybrid before and after U(VI)/Cr(VI) sequestration were exploited in detail by applying various physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. Batch experimental results demonstrated that sequestration of targeted U(VI)/Cr(VI) by g-C3N4/NZVI was higher than those of pure NZVI or g-C3N4 due to the pronounced boost performance, which was ascribed from the introduction of g-C3N4 as matrix inhibited the oxidation of NZVI and improved its reactivity. The pH effect was also elucidated and it was found that lower pH facilitated the sequestration of the negatively–charged Cr(VI), while higher pH benefited the sequestration of the positively–charged U(VI). Moreover, the characterization insights into intrinsic mechanism manifested that sequestration of U(VI)/Cr(VI) was fulfilled through a synergistic effect of adsorption, reduction and coprecipitation. This work is of great significance for understanding the combined sequestration mechanism of U(VI) and Cr(VI), and usage of g-C3N4/NZVI in sequestration of severe dangerous metal ions, especially efficient detoxification of toxic cations and anions in wastewater.

Performance and mechanisms of active attapulgite-supported sulfidated nanoscale zero-valent iron materials for Pb(II) removal from aqueous solution

To inhibit the oxidation, passivation, and agglomeration of nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI), a liquid phase reduction method was used to load sulfurized nZVI onto acid-modified ATP with attapulgite (ATP) as the carrier (S-nZVI@ATP). The performance and mechanism of this material were studied for Pb2+ removal in water. The S-nZVI@ATP preparation prevents the agglomeration of nZVI particles and reduces nZVI oxidation. Pb2+ removal proceeds efficiently and stably when using S-nZVI@ATP at pH values ranging from 2.5–5.5. According to the electron sharing and transfer-based pseudo-second-order kinetic model, the Pb2+ is adsorbed onto S-nZVI@ATP, and the speed control step is completed by liquid film diffusion and intraparticle diffusion. The S-nZVI@ATP mediated Pb2+ adsorption is well-described by Freundlich’s isothermal adsorption model, which is a multilayer chemical adsorption process. The temperature and initial Pb2+ concentration were varied, and it was determined that Pb2+ adsorbs on S-nZVI@ATP in an endothermic reaction. This S-nZVI@ATP composite material has high reducibility, high surface activity, and good adsorption properties for Pb2+. Tests were performed for 24 h using adsorbent (1 g l−1) in Pb2+ solution (30 ml). For an initial Pb2+ concentration of 700 mg l−1, S−1-nZVI@ATP removes 57.37% of the Pb2+ and has an adsorption capacity of 401.60 mg g−1. In addition to forming PbS and Pb(OH)2 precipitates, Pb2+ also complexes with the Fe/H oxide shell of S-nZVI@ATP, and Fe0 reduces some Pb2+ on the nZVI to Pb0. The results exhibited that S-nZVI@ATP has excellent potential as an adsorbent for the removal of Pb2+ from the industrial wastewater.

Adsorption of total petroleum hydrocarbon in groundwater by KOH-activated biochar loaded double surfactant-modified nZVI

Introduction: Crude oil and petroleum hydrocarbon contamination is commonly found in the soil and groundwater during the various processes of mining, processing, and utilization due to issues such as inefficient environmental management, random wastewater discharge, and storage tank leakage.To address this issue, we will use corn stalk biochar (SBC) and surfactants to improve the stability and chemical reactivity of nZVI, thereby enhancing its ability to remove pollutants, and explore the adsorption effect and mechanism of composite materials for petroleum hydrocarbons.Methods: Modified corn stalk biochar (SBC) was synthesized through high-temperature carbonization and KOH activation. Subsequently, the iron/carbon composite PN-nZVI@SBC (PNMSBC) was prepared by loading nano zero-valent iron modified with dual surfactants, and it was adopted to adsorb total petroleum hydrocarbons(TPH) in groundwater. The physical and chemical properties, surface patterns, and elemental mapping of PNMSBC particles were analyzed using SEM, EDS, TEM,XRD, BET, and FTIR spectroscopy. Kinetics and isotherm tests were performed to evaluate the adsorption properties of the composites. TPH adsorption was dependent on ionic strength, initial TPH concentration, as well as pH. The adsorption mechanism combining XPS and EPR spectroscopy was explored.Results: The characterization results by SEM and TEM showed that the particle size of nZVI particles modified by surfactants became smaller, and the dispersibility was enhanced. The characterization results by XRD and FTIR confirmed the successful preparation of the composites. The BET results showed that MSBC and PNMSBC were mesoporous structures. The characterization results indicated that Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Sodium oleate (NaOA) inhibited the oxidation of nZVI while effectively improving its reactivity. The result of the experiments on adsorption showed that the removal of TPH by PNMSBC followed Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, thus suggesting that the main adsorption processes comprise chemisorption and multilayer heterogeneous adsorption. The adsorption capacity of PNMSBC was increased by the abundance of macro and microporous structures. To be specific, a maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity (qm) was achieved as 75.26 g/g. The result of batch experiments indicated that PNMSBC continuously removed considerable TPH under a wide pH range from 2 to 6. The adsorption mechanism of PNMSBC includes surface adsorption, oxidation, complexation, and electrostatic interaction.Discussion: In brief, PNMSBC has a promising application for the adsorption of TPH in groundwater remediation.

Enhanced removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution by nano-TiO2 modified zero valent iron under UV light irradiation: Performance, reaction kinetic and the role of iron oxide interfacial layers

The major problem for nano-zero valent iron (nZVI) application is the degradation of performance due to the continuous oxidation during reaction process. A composite has been prepared, which was developed by coating TiO2 nanoparticles onto the surface of nZVI (TiO2@nZVI). A series of experiments were used to examine the effects of TiO2 loading, ultraviolet–visible (UV) light, initial concentration, pH of aqueous solution on the hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) removal. The results show that TiO2 and UV irradiation could slow down the oxidation of nZVI during removing Cr(VI). The TiO2@nZVI with UV irradiation have dramatically higher Cr(VI) removal efficiencies than TiO2 and nZVI (increased by 78.5% and 39.9%, respectively). More Fe(II) instead of Fe(III) into the suspension and a slower oxidation rate of nZVI should be responsible for the enhanced Cr(VI) removal. Kinetic studies reveal that Cr(VI) adsorption process is accordant with the pseudo-second-order model, which suggests that chemisorption was the dominant adsorption mechanism. Langmuir isotherm adsorption model describes the Cr(VI) adsorption better and the maximum adsorption capacity of 62.80 mg·g−1. Finally, a possible removal and enhanced mechanism of Cr(VI) by TiO2@nZVI is proposed. Our study would provide ideas for the modification of nZVI and improve its removal efficiency for pollutants.

Natural substance-mediated synthesis for biochar-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron enhanced the performance of the catalytic process

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) has gained increasing attention as a heterogeneous catalyst. However, problems such as aggregation, oxidation, or iron leaching limit its application. An appropriate dispersant and carrier may help solve the problems. Natural substances and their waste have been investigated as potential dispersants and carriers. Chinese herbal medicine residue is a promising raw material for this purpose. Here, black bean peel, a natural substance, was used as a dispersant and stabilizer, and biochar from chaga mushroom residue was used as a support for the first time to synthesize a zero-valent iron composite (B-nZVI-BC). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron spin resonance (ESR) studies confirm that the natural extracts prevented the agglomeration and oxidation of nZVI and promoted hydroxyl radical (·OH) generation. The experimental results showed that the B-nZVI-BC (2:1) + H2O2 system reduced Fe leaching to 0.66 mg/L. The synergistic effects of natural extracts, biochar (BC), and nZVI activated H2O2 for tetracycline (TC) removal and increased the removal from 67.56% to 90.07%. New insights were provided into the green synthesis and regeneration of nZVI, offering a promising solution for its practical application.

Performance and mechanism study of g-C3N4/rGO heterojunction enhanced NO3− reduction by nZVI under visible light irradiation

Zero valent iron (ZVI) is a low-cost, earth-abundant reactive metal, and it has a strong reducing ability with a standard redox potential of − 0.44 V. Therefore, it is an effective and widely used reducing agent for pollutant degradation. Since nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) shows a larger specific surface area which leads to the faster reaction rate and higher conversion efficiency, it has been widely used in NO3− nitrogen reduction reaction, however, it shows disadvantages of poor chemical stability, narrow applicable pH, and low total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency. To solve these problems, in this paper, the nZVI nanoparticles were deposited on the g-C3N4/rGO composite, and its NO3− removal efficiency under visible light irradiation was investigated. The effects of nZVI loading, initial pH of solution, catalyst dosage and initial NO3− concentration on NO3− reduction performance were studied. The results showed that the g-C3N4/rGO/nZVI material achieved 100% of NO3− reduction efficiency in 60 min. And the TN removal efficiency of g-C3N4/rGO/nZVI was 82.8%, superior to nZVI and g-C3N4/nZVI (13.3% and 38.2%, respectively). Finally, the denitrification mechanism of g-C3N4/rGO/nZVI was proposed as follows: Under light irradiation, the photogenerated electrons on g-C3N4 transferred via rGO to the nZVI surface, thus improving the reactivity and stability of nZVI. The photogenerated electrons and active electrons on the surface of nZVI reduced NO3− to N2, NH4+, and other products, while the photogenerated holes further oxidized part of NH4+ to N2 and other gaseous products. During this process, the rGO material could inhibit the oxidation of nZVI by the photogenerated holes from g-C3N4.

Strategy and mechanisms of sulfamethoxazole removal from aqueous systems by single and combined Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and nanoscale zero-valent iron-enriched biochar

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX, a sulfonamide antibiotic) is ubiquitously present in various aqueous systems, which can accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, induce genetic mutations, and even disrupt the ecological equilibrium. Considering the potential eco-environmental risk of SMX, this study explored an effective technology using Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (MR-1) and nanoscale zero-valent iron-enriched biochar (nZVI-HBC) to remove SMX from aqueous systems with different pollution levels (1–30 mg·L−1). SMX removal by nZVI-HBC and nZVI-HBC + MR-1 (55–100 %) under optimal conditions (iron/HBC ratio of 1:5, 4 g·L−1 nZVI-HBC, and 10 % v/v MR-1) was more effective than its removal by MR-1 and biochar (HBC) (8–35 %). This was due to the catalytic degradation of SMX in the nZVI-HBC and nZVI-HBC + MR-1 reaction systems because of accelerated electron transfer during oxidation of nZVI and reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II). When SMX concentration was lower than 10 mg·L−1, nZVI-HBC + MR-1 effectively removed SMX (removal rate of approximately 100 %) when compared to nZVI-HBC (removal rate of 56–79 %). In addition to oxidation degradation of SMX by nZVI in the nZVI-HBC + MR-1 reaction system, MR-1-driven dissimilatory iron reduction accelerated electron transfer to SMX, thereby enhancing reductive degradation of SMX. However, a considerable decline in SMX removal from the nZVI-HBC + MR-1 system (42 %) was observed when SMX concentrations ranged 15–30 mg·L−1, which was due to the toxicity of accumulated degradation products of SMX. A high interaction probability between SMX and nZVI-HBC promoted the catalytic degradation of SMX in the nZVI-HBC reaction system. The results of this study provide promising strategies and insights for enhancing antibiotic removal from aqueous systems with different pollution levels.

3D porous carbon-embedded nZVI@Fe2O3 nanoarchitectures enable prominent performance and recyclability in antibiotic removal

Overcoming the instability and poor recyclability during the practical applications of contaminant scavengers is a challenging topic. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected carbon aerogel (nZVI@Fe2O3/PC) embedding a core-shell nanostructure of nZVI@Fe2O3 was elaborately designed and fabricated via an in-situ self-assembly process. The porous carbon with 3D network architecture exhibits strong adsorption towards various antibiotic contaminants in water, where the stably embedded nZVI@Fe2O3 nanoparticles not only serve as magnetic seeds for recycling, but also avoid the shedding and oxidation of nZVI in the adsorption process. As a result, nZVI@Fe2O3/PC efficiently captures sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfamethazine (SMZ), ciprofloxacin (CIP), tetracycline (TC) and other antibiotics in water. In particular, an excellent adsorptive removal capacity of 329 mg g−1 and a rapid capture kinetics (99% of removal efficiency in 10 min) under a wide pH adaptability (2–8) are achieved using nZVI@Fe2O3/PC as an SMX scavenger. nZVI@Fe2O3/PC displays exceptional long-term stability given that it shows excellent magnetic property after it is stored in water solution for 60 d, making it an ideal stable scavenger for contaminants in an etching-resistant and efficient manner. This work would also provide a general strategy to develop other stable iron-based functional architectures for efficient catalytic degradation, energy conversion and biomedicine.

Removal of Nitrate Nitrogen in Groundwater by Attapulgite Loaded with Nano-Zero-Valent Iron

Nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) can be used to remove nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) from groundwater. However, it has low reduction efficiency owing to its oxidation and aggregation characteristics. Thus, nZVI-loaded material is used to alleviate these drawbacks. In this study, nZVI-coated attapulgite (ATP) was prepared for the removal of NO3-N from groundwater. ATP-nZVI was prepared using the chemical liquid deposition-coreduction method. The prepared materials were characterized by SEM, XRD, and XPS analyses, which confirmed that the aluminum silicate particles in the ATP structure are effective carriers of nZVI and effectively inhibit self-consumption caused by the oxidation and aggregation of nZVI. The batch experiments examined experimental samples containing 30 mg/L nitrate and analyzed the effects of various parameters, including the material, mass ratio, initial pH, initial temperature, and coexisting anions on the NO3-N removal efficiency. The results showed that the optimal removal rate of the composite was 78.61%, which is higher than that using the same amount of ATP, iron powder, and nZVI. When the mass ratio of ATP to nZVI was 1 : 1, the NO3-N removal efficiency was the highest. When the pH value increased from 3 to 9, the NO3-N removal rate decreased, while an increase in the reaction temperature promoted NO3-N removal. The order of the inhibitory effect of coexisting anions on NO3-N removal by various nanoions was PO4 3–>CO3 2–>SO4 2–>Cl–. The adsorption kinetic model fitting results indicated that the chemisorption of electron exchange between ATP and nZVI in NO3-N removal was the main rate-limiting step in the reaction. This study demonstrates the potential of the prepared ATP-nZVI composite for NO3-N removal from groundwater.

Bimetallic FeNi Alloy Nanoparticles Grown on Graphene for Efficient Removal of Congo Red From Aqueous Solution

AbstractNano zero‐valent iron (nZVI) is an effective material for dye wastewater treatment, but excessive agglomeration and oxidation greatly limit its application. Herein, graphene (GR) supported FeNi bimetallic nanoparticles (FeNi@GR) are prepared by alloying and carrier supported dispersion for efficient removal of azo dyes from water. Not only can it effectively solve the problem of excessive agglomeration and oxidation of nZVI, but also the synergistic effect of bimetallic coordination formation and the excellent electron transfer ability of graphene are beneficial to enhance the reactivity of FeNi@GR. The optimal FeNi@GR is prepared by adjusting the content of GR and the removal of Congo red (CR) by FeNi@GR‐10% reached 625 mg g−1 within 150 min at pH = 7.0. Higher temperature and lower pH favor the removal of CR azo dye. The action mechanisms of FeNi@GR presumably involve the transfer of active hydrogen atoms and the transfer of electrons generated by Fe0 and Ni0. Besides, the saturation magnetization (Ms) of FeNi@GR is 68.15 emu g−1, which has excellent magnetic response performance. This work not only provides a simple and efficient method to stabilize nZVI, but also reveals that using FeNi@GR is a promising approach for the remediation of water pollution.

Insights into enhanced removal of Cd2+ from aqueous solutions by attapulgite supported sulfide-modified nanoscale zero-valent iron.

The sulfidation of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) has received increasing attention for reducing the oxidizability of nZVI and improving its reactivity toward heavy metal ions. Here, a sulfide (S)-modified attapulgite (ATP)-supported nanoscale nZVI composite (S-nZVI@ATP) was rapidly synthesized under acidic conditions and used to alleviate Cd2+ toxicity from an aqueous solution. The degree of oxidation of S-nZVI@ATP was less than that of nZVI@ATP, indicating that the sulfide modification significantly reduced the oxidation of nZVI. The optimal loading ratio was at an S-to-Fe molar ratio of 0.75, and the adsorption performance of S-nZVI@ATP for Cd2+ was significantly improved compared with that of nZVI@ATP. The removal of Cd2+ by S-nZVI@ATP was 100% when the adsorbent addition was 1 g/L, the solution was 30 mL, and the adsorption was performed at 25 °C for 24 h with an initial Cd2+ concentration of 100 mg/L. Kinetics studies showed that the adsorption process of Cd followed the pseudo-second-order model, indicating that chemisorption was the dominant adsorption mechanism. The adsorption of Cd2+ by S-nZVI @ATP is dominated by the complexation between the iron oxide or iron hydroxide shell of S-nZVI and Cd2+ and the formation of Cd(OH)2 and CdS precipitates.

Activation of Peroxymonosulfate by Fe0 for the Degradation of BTEX: Effects of Aging Time and Interfering Ions

Resolving three environmental challenges simultaneously—recycling bone waste, aggregation, oxidation of bare nZVI and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and p-xylene (BTEX) contamination—was conducted by fabricating a highly stable and efficient activator of peroxymonosulfate. In this work, a novel heterogeneous catalyst, ostrich bone ash-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (Fe0-OBA) prepared by pyrolysis of animal bones and reduced Fe2+ on the surface of it, was used for the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). Advantageous properties such as extensive availability, low production cost, and high thermal stability make OBA an appealing carbonaceous material for heterogeneous catalysis. The TEM and SEM results revealed that the black ball-shaped nZVI particles were uniformly dispersed on the surface of OBA. The Fe0-OBA composite had a porous structure with a specific surface area of 109 m2 g−1 according to BET analysis. With BTEX as the refractory pollutant, the PMS-based Fe0-OBA system shows great degradation performance as compared to the homogeneous Fe2+/PMS system. The effects of various parameters, such as initial pH (2–9), temperature (25–45 °C), initial BTEX concentration (50–200 mg L−1), PMS dosage (0.5–1.25 mM), time of reaction (0–60 min), and Fe0-OBA dosage (0.5–5 g L−1) on the BTEX degradation, have been discussed in detail. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model can describe the BTEX degradation by the PMS-based Fe0-OBA system. The excellent stability of Fe0-OBA even after 10 years, while maintaining the degradation efficiency, shows the high potential of it in a wide range of practical applications. This study illustrated that Fe0-OBA could be an effective activator of PMS for the degradation of stubborn organic contaminants in water and wastewater.

Ultrafast removal of Cr(VI) by chitosan coated biochar-supported nano zero-valent iron aerogel from aqueous solution: Application performance and reaction mechanism

Chitosan coated biochar-supported nano zero-valent iron aerogel (C-nZVI@BC) was successfully synthesized for the efficient removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. Results showed that the C-nZVI@BC has a 2.1-fold higher adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) than the uncoated sample. Chitosan coating on nZVI@BC and BC support could prevent the oxidation and agglomeration of nZVI. Ultrafast adsorption of Cr(VI) with 61 %, 77 %, and 87 % of the maximum adsorption capacities were achieved within 1 min with the initial concentrations of Cr(VI) at 100 mg/L, 300 mg/L, and 600 mg/L, respectively. The C-nZVI@BC exhibited high adsorption performance under aerobic conditions, and showed high Cr(VI) removal rates (>83 %) in a wide pH range (2–8). Cr(VI) and Cr(III) could be simultaneously removed by C-nZVI@BC, and the key mechanisms were adsorption, reduction, and complexation. The acid and alkali resistance experiment of C-nZVI@BC showed that C-nZVI@BC still has better adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) (96.7 mg/g) in acid environment. The application of C-nZVI@BC in the simulated electroplating wastewater treatment indicated a high removal rate of Cr(VI). C-nZVI@BC could effectively reduce the low concentration of Cr(VI) below the standard of the World Health Organization. The syringe filtration and column adsorption experiments implied the potential of C-nZVI@BC for Cr(VI) removal in groundwater. In addition, C-nZVI@BC could be a direct reducing agent for Cr(VI) and an activator of persulfate (PS) for the degradation of antibiotics, and C-nZVI@BC + PS showed 77 % and 82 % removal of tetracycline and chlortetracycline within 5 min. Overall, C-nZVI@BC was a suitable adsorbent for pollutant removal.

Immobilizing nZVI particles on MBenes to enhance the removal of U(VI) and Cr(VI) by adsorption-reduction synergistic effect

Herein, a novel collaborative strategy for enhancing the removal of U(VI)/Cr(VI) was developed through loading nZVI into the inter-layer structure of MBenes. Spectroscopic analysis elucidated that MBenes not only inhibited the oxidation of nZVI, but also effectively improved its reactivity. Batch experiments showed that the removal rate of targeted pollutants by nZVI@MBenes was higher than that of nZVI or MBenes due to the increment of active sites and extension of interlayer space. With the aid of kinetics and isotherms, which manifested that the adsorption data were fitted for the Langmuir and Pseudo-second-order kinetic models. Meanwhile, nZVI@MBenes afforded the largest saturated capacity of 107.8 mg/g for U(VI) and 68.6 mg/g for Cr(VI). Synergistic adsorption-reduction occurred during the elimination process based on characterizationanalysis and DFT calculation. Namely, the targeted pollutants were rapidly adsorbed by the as-prepared composites via electrostatic interaction, then the surface-associated nZVI acted as an electron donor to reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III) and U(VI) to U(IV). Thus, this work would open a new window for the practical application of nZVI-based materials in wastewater treatment.

Surfactant-enhanced reduction of soil-adsorbed nitrobenzene by carbon-coated nZVI: Enhanced desorption and mechanism

The reduction process of pollutants by nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) is limited by mass transfer and its effective utilization, and previous studies have ignored the electron loss caused by its oxidative passivation. The carbon-coated structure can effectively inhibit the oxidation of nZVI, but the effectiveness of carbon-coated nZVI (Fe0@C) as a reducing agent in soil remediation is unclear. Therefore, in this study, the Fe0@C/surfactant system was used to remove soil-adsorbed nitrobenzene (NB) to simultaneously enhance the mass transfer process and effective utilization of nZVI. The results showed that the use of surfactants effectively promoted the desorption of NB adsorbed by the soil, and the desorption process was affected by factors such as the type and concentration of surfactants, water-soil ratio, and soil organic matter (SOM) content. The enhanced desorption of NB by the surfactant in the soil system promoted the effective contact between the composite and NB, thereby enhancing the reduction of NB by the composite. In addition, Fe0@C exhibited excellent performance for the reduction of soil-adsorbed NB compared with the conventional nZVI, and this advantage was more obvious in the potting soil system. However, the composite will be gradually passivated due to the alkaline environment during the reduction process, and this phenomenon was especially obvious in the campus soil system. When the pH value decreased from 9 to 3, the proportion of aniline (AN) generated in the campus soil system increased from 19.37 % to 69.29 %. In addition, in potting soil systems with high SOM content, the adsorption of soil particles to the composite and the high dissolved organic matter (DOM) content resulting from the high SOM content also negatively affected the reduction process. The conclusions of this study demonstrate the great potential of the Fe0@C/surfactant system for in-situ contaminated site remediation applications.

The Effect of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles (nZVI) on Bacteriophages.

Bacteriophages are viruses that attack and usually kill bacteria. Their appearance in the industrial facilities using bacteria to produce active compounds (e.g., drugs, food, cosmetics, etc.) causes considerable financial losses. Instances of bacteriophage resistance towards disinfectants and decontamination procedures (such as thermal inactivation and photocatalysis) have been reported. There is a pressing need to explore new ways of phage inactivation that are environmentally neutral, inexpensive, and more efficient. Here, we study the effect of zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) on four different bacteriophages (T4, T7, MS2, M13). The reduction of plaque-forming units (PFU) per mL varies from greater than 7log to around 0.5log depending on bacteriophages (M13 and T7, respectively). A comparison of the importance of oxidation of nZVI versus the release of Fe2+/Fe3+ ions is shown. The mechanism of action is proposed in connection to redox reactions, adsorption of virions on nZVI, and the effect of released iron ions. The nZVI constitutes a critical addition to available antiphagents (i.e., anti-bacteriophage agents).

Integrated green complexing agent and biochar modified nano zero-valent iron for hexavalent chromium removal: A characterisation and performance study

In this study, nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) was loaded on biochar (BC) prepared from recycled waste peanut shells. The loaded BC in the nZVI@BC composite was assumed to weaken the agglomeration of nZVI and the environmentally-friendly complexing agents sodium citrate (Cit) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were used to establish Cit-nZVI@BC and CMC-nZVI@BC for the effective removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous environments. The characterisation results suggested that Cit and CMC not only inhibited the oxidation of nZVI, but also effectively improved its reactivity. The experimental results demonstrated that the Cr(VI) removal efficiency by nZVI was less than 20%, while CMC-nZVI@BC enhanced the Cr(VI) removal efficiency to 80.73%, because CMC was coated on the nZVI surface for anti-passivation and improved the surface activity of nanoparticles. In addition, the Cr(VI) removal efficiency reached almost 100% with Cit-nZVI@BC, and the citrate dissociated the passivation layer on the surface of the zero-valent iron particles to ensure the reactivity of the zero-valent iron. The reaction mechanism of Cit-nZVI@BC includes adsorption, reduction, and co-precipitation, whereas CMC-nZVI@BC also involves surface complexation reactions. The kinetic studies revealed that the removal of Cr(VI) by Cit-nZVI@BC and CMC-nZVI@BC followed the second-order reaction kinetic model, and the reaction rates of Cit-nZVI@BC and CMC-nZVI@BC were both higher than that of nZVI. The results indicate that the prepared systems are promising for Cr(VI) remediation in contaminated environments.

In-situ methane enrichment in continuous anaerobic digestion of pig slurry by zero-valent iron nanoparticles addition under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions

The effect of zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) addition on methane production during anaerobic digestion of pig slurry was assessed. Experiments were conducted using two experimental set-ups: batch and long-term continuous operation at a fixed nZVI dosage. Two different temperature operation ranges (mesophilic and thermophilic) were assessed. Biogas production and methane content were monitored, and the specific methanogenic activity of the biomass and nZVI oxidation state were evaluated at different times. The results of batch experiments at mesophilic temperature operation showed an inhibition of methane production at all tested dosages (42, 84, 168 and 254 mgnZVI g−1 VSS concentrations), while methane production was boosted with the lowest dosage in thermophilic temperature operation. In continuous operation, nZVI addition produced an increase in methane content of biogas, achieving values between 80 and 85% in both temperature ranges. The average methane production rate increased 165% and 94% with respect to the control in thermophilic and mesophilic temperature range, respectively. The oxidation state of nZVI showed a value of +3 almost immediately after contact with substrate and a slower progressive oxidation during the reactors operation. The obtained results indicate that nZVI addition in anaerobic digestion is an interesting strategy for in situ biogas upgrading.