Role of interfacial electron transfer reactions on sulfamethoxazole degradation by reduced nontronite activating H2O2
Wenjuan Liao , Hao-Jie Cui , Yaqi Ning , Cong Wu , Wei Peng , Dong Cheng , Lichu Yin , Weijun Zhou
DOI:10.1016/j.jes.2022.02.012
Received December 28, 2021,Revised , Accepted February 09, 2022, Available online February 19, 2022
Volume 35,2023,Pages 688-698
It has been documented that organic contaminants can be degraded by hydroxyl radicals ( • OH) produced by the activation of H2 O2 by Fe(II)-bearing clay. However, the interfacial electron transfer reactions between structural Fe(II) and H 2 O 2 for • OH generation and its effects on contaminant remediation are unclear. In this study, we first investigated the relation between • OH generation sites and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation by activating H2O2 using nontronite with different reduction extents. SMX (5.2–16.9 μmol/L) degradation first increased and then decreased with an increase in the reduction extent of nontronite from 22% to 62%, while the • OH production increased continually. Passivization treatment of edge sites and structural variation results revealed that interfacial electron transfer reactions between Fe(II) and H 2 O 2 occur at both the edge and basal plane. The enhancement on basal plane interfacial electron transfer reactions in a high reduction extent rNAu-2 leads to the enhancement on utilization efficiencies of structural Fe(II) and H 2 O 2 for • OH generation.However, the • OH produced at the basal planes is less efficient in oxidizing SMX than that of at edge sites. Oxidation of SMX could be sustainable in the H 2 O 2 /rNAu-2 system through chemically reduction. The results of this study show the importance role of • OH generation sites on antibiotic degradation and provide guidance and potential strategies for antibiotic degradation by Fe(II)-bearing clay minerals in H 2 O 2 -based treatments.
