Role of Ferrate(IV) and Ferrate(V) in Activating Ferrate(VI) by Calcium Sulfite for Enhanced Oxidation of Organic Contaminants

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

364 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although the Fe(VI)-sulfite process has shown great potential for the rapid removal of organic contaminants, the major active oxidants (Fe(IV)/Fe(V) versus SO 4 •- / OH) involved in this process are still under debate. By employing sparingly soluble CaSO 3 as a slow-releasing source of SO 3 2- , this study evaluated the oxidation performance of the Fe(VI)-CaSO 3 process and identified the active oxidants involved in this process. The process exhibited efficient oxidation of a variety of compounds, including antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides, at rates that were 6.1-173.7-fold faster than those measured for Fe(VI) alone, depending on pH, CaSO 3 dosage, and the properties of organic contaminants. Many lines of evidence verified that neither SO 4 •- nor OH was the active species in the Fe(VI)-CaSO 3 process. The accelerating effect of CaSO 3 was ascribed to the direct generation of Fe(IV)/Fe(V) species from the reaction of Fe(VI) with soluble SO 3 2- via one-electron steps as well as the indirect generation of Fe(IV)/Fe(V) species from the self-decay of Fe(VI) and Fe(VI) reaction with H 2 O 2 , which could be catalyzed by uncomplexed Fe(III). Besides, the Fe(VI)-CaSO 3 process exhibited satisfactory removal of organic contaminants in real water, and inorganic anions showed negligible effects on organic contaminant decomposition in this process. Thus, the Fe(VI)-CaSO 3 process with Fe(IV)/Fe(V) as reactive oxidants may be a promising method for abating various micropollutants in water treatment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)894-902
Number of pages9
JournalEnvironmental Science and Technology
Volume53
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Jan 2019
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Role of Ferrate(IV) and Ferrate(V) in Activating Ferrate(VI) by Calcium Sulfite for Enhanced Oxidation of Organic Contaminants'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this