Enhanced removals of micropollutants in binary organic systems by biomass derived porous carbon/peroxymonosulfate

Abstract

Water pollution usually involves multiple pollutants, and their degradation mechanisms are complicated. In this study, we investigated the degradation of single and binary pollutants (phenol and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA)) in water, using biomass-derived N-doped porous carbon (Y-PC) for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation and we found better kinetics and efficiencies of degradation in binary pollutants than single pollutant systems. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), quenching experiments, and electrochemical tests indicated that •OH, SO4•−, O2•−, and 1O2 accounted for the catalytic oxidation of phenol/HBA, while the electron-transfer pathway had an additional contribution to phenol degradation. We unveiled that the HBA degradation rate was similar in the binary and single systems due to the non-selective attack of the micropollutants by •OH, SO4•−, O2•− and 1O2. However, phenol degradation rate was significantly accelerated in the binary phenol/HBA system as compared to that in the single phenol solution, due to the exclusive and selective role of electron transfer pathway. In the binary micropollutant system, a fortified electron-transfer pathway over phenol directly expedited its decomposition and contributed indirectly to this process. This study provides new insights into porous carbon-based advanced oxidation processes for the simultaneous removal of multicomponent contaminants in practical applications.

RAS ID

38895

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

2021

Volume

408

Funding Information

Australian Research Council Advanced Queensland Partnership Project

PubMed ID

33172679

School

School of Engineering

Grant Number

ARC Number : DP190103548

Grant Link

http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP190103548

Copyright

subscription content

Publisher

Elsevier

Comments

Tian, W., Lin, J., Zhang, H., Duan, X., Sun, H., Wang, H., & Wang, S. (2021). Enhanced removals of micropollutants in binary organic systems by biomass derived porous carbon/peroxymonosulfate. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 408, article 124459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124459

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124459