Title: Heterogeneous Fenton and photo-Fenton reactions in paraquat removal using iron nanoparticles

Authors: Roongkarn Ard-Ong; Pattra Aphaiphak; Jirapat Ananpattarachai; Puangrat Kajitvichyanukul; Yung-Tse Hung

Addresses: Center of Excellence on Environmental Research and Innovation, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, 99 Moo 9 Tambon Tha Pho, Mueang, 65000, Thailand ' Center of Excellence on Environmental Research and Innovation, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, 99 Moo 9 Tambon Tha Pho, Mueang, 65000, Thailand ' Center of Excellence on Environmental Research and Innovation, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, 99 Moo 9 Tambon Tha Pho, Mueang, 65000, Thailand ' Center of Excellence on Environmental Research and Innovation, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, 99 Moo 9 Tambon Tha Pho, Mueang, 65000, Thailand ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, 44115 USA

Abstract: This work was aimed to investigate the ability of iron nanoparticles in paraquat degradation using heterogeneous Fenton and photo-Fenton processes. The iron nanoparticles were synthesised and their sizes are in the nanometre range of 10-30 nm. SEM, TEM, and XRD were used to characterise the obtained materials. From XRD analysis and the Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio, the iron nanoparticles are predominantly of magnetite phase. Results from Fenton reaction at pH3 show that paraquat with initial concentrations in range of 60-100 ppm has been degraded with the removal percentages in the range of 43.7-75.8%. In photo-Fenton process at pH3, the paraquat removal percentages were 70.9-99.1% for initial paraquat concentrations as of 100-300 ppm. The photo-Fenton reaction using iron nanoparticles provided higher efficiency in paraquat removal than the Fenton process. Results from this work can benefit further for application of iron nanoparticles in pesticides removal from water and wastewater.

Keywords: Fenton reactions; photo-Fenton reactions; paraquat removal; iron nanoparticles; AOPs; advanced oxidation processes; chemical oxidation; pesticides removal; water treatement; wastewater treatement; water pollution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2016.080255

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2016 Vol.18 No.1, pp.1 - 12

Received: 10 Jun 2015
Accepted: 14 Feb 2016
Published online: 09 Nov 2016 *

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