Rapid removal of decabromodiphenyl ether by mechanochemically prepared submicron zero-valent iron with FeC2O4·2 H2O layers: Kinetics, mechanisms and pathways

Kuang Wang; Guan Wang; Long Zhou; Yuan Zeng; Yifeng Zhang; Zhanqiang Fang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133309

Rapid removal of decabromodiphenyl ether by mechanochemically prepared submicron zero-valent iron with FeC₂O₄·2 H₂O layers: Kinetics, mechanisms and pathways

J Hazard Mater. 2024 Mar 5:465:133309. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133309. Epub 2023 Dec 28.

Authors

Kuang Wang¹, Guan Wang², Long Zhou¹, Yuan Zeng³, Yifeng Zhang⁴, Zhanqiang Fang⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Province Environmental Remediation Industry Technology Innovation Alliance, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Technology Research Center for Ecological Management and Remediation of Water System, Guangzhou 510006, China.
² School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
³ College of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
⁴ Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
⁵ College of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Province Environmental Remediation Industry Technology Innovation Alliance, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Technology Research Center for Ecological Management and Remediation of Water System, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: zhqfang@m.scnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38185080
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133309

Abstract

The utilization of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) in polybrominated diphenyl ethers remediation has been studied extensively. However, challenges in balancing cost and reactivity have been encountered. A submicron zero-valent iron coated with FeC₂O₄·2 H₂O layers (OX-smZVI) was synthesized via a mechanochemical method, aiming to resolve this contradiction. Characterization via SEM, TEM, and XPS confirmed the structure as FeC₂O₄·2 H₂O coated iron lamellate with a surface area 24-fold higher than ball-milled zero-valent iron (smZVI). XRD highlighted an Fe/C eutectic in OX-smZVI, boosting its electron transfer capacity. Decabromodiphenyl ether degradation by OX-smZVI follows a two-stage process, with initial degradation by FeC₂O₄·2 H₂O and a subsequent phase dominated by electron transfer. OX-smZVI exhibits a 4.52-34.40 times faster BDE209 removal rate than nZVI and scaled-up OX-smZVI displayed superior reactivity with preparation costs only 1/680 of nZVI. Given its enhanced reactivity and cost-efficiency, OX-smZVI emerges as a promising replacement for nZVI.

Keywords: Degradation products; Electron transfer; PBDEs; Preparation cost; Zero-valent iron.