Degradation of sulfamonomethoxine with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles as heterogeneous activator of persulfate

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2011-02, Vol.186 (2-3), p.1398-1404
• Main Authors: Yan, Jingchun, Lei, Min, Zhu, Lihua, Anjum, M. Naveed, Zou, Jing, Tang, Heqing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anions; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Applied sciences; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Degradation; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles; Ferric Compounds - chemistry; free radicals; Indicators and Reagents; iron oxides; Kinetics; liquid chromatography; Magnetics; Mass Spectrometry; Nanoparticles; oxidants; Oxidation-Reduction; Persulfate; Pollution; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Sulfamonomethoxine; Sulfamonomethoxine - chemistry; Sulfate free radical; Sulfates - chemistry; X-Ray Diffraction
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.12.017

Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4 MNPs) can effectively activate persulfate anions (S2O82−) to produce sulfate free radicals (SO4−), which are a powerful oxidant with promising applications to degrade organic contaminants. The kinetics of sulfamonomethoxine (SMM) degradation was studied in the system of Fe3O4 MNPs and S2O82−. A complete removal of the added SMM (0.06mmolL−1) was achieved within 15min with the addition of 1.20mmolL−1 S2O82− and 2.40mmolL−1 Fe3O4 MNPs. There is an optimum concentration of Fe3O4 MNPs because Fe3O4 MNPs may also act as a SO4− scavenger at higher concentrations. It was further observed that the addition of Fe3O4 MNPs in several batches for a given total amount of the activator is favorable to enhancing the degradation of SMM. A degradation mechanism was proposed on the basis of identification of the degradation intermediates of SMM with liquid chromatography combined with mass spectroscopy.