Critical role of oxygen for rapid degradation of organic contaminants in permanganate/bisulfite process

Bo Sun, Qianqian Bao, Xiaohong Guan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Organic contaminants can be oxidized rapidly in permanganate/bisulfite (PM/BS) process due to generation of Mn(III)aq. However, the influence of O2 and its role in contaminants degradation in PM/BS process are poorly understood. Thus, the influence of O2 concentration on phenol removal was quantified and isotopic oxygen tracers (18O-labeled water and 18O2) were employed to further unravel the mechanisms of PM/BS process. The introduction of O2 to PM/BS process appreciably improved phenol oxidation. Under oxic conditions the oxidation products of bisulfite included SO42− and HSO5 while SO42− was the single stable oxidation product under anaerobic conditions. The oxygen isotope labeling experiments confirmed that HSO5 originated from the oxidation of SO3[rad]− by O2 to SO5[rad]− and the following reduction of SO5[rad]− by HSO3. Incorporation of oxygen isotope from H218O to MnO2 due to the disproportionation of Mn(III)aq was observed, which verified the generation of Mn(III)aq in PM/BS process. The critical influence of O2 on PM/BS process was mainly associated with rapid oxidation of SO3[rad]− by O2 to SO5[rad]−, which otherwise competed with target contaminants for Mn(III)aq. Oxygen from H2O and/or O2 can also be incorporated in the degradation products of organics in PM/BS process.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)157-164
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Hazardous Materials
Volume352
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Jun 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Advanced oxidation
  • Bisulfite
  • Organic contaminant
  • Oxygen
  • Permanganate

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