Efficient dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride by hydrophobic green rust intercalated with dodecanoate anions

Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Mar 20;46(6):3390-7. doi: 10.1021/es204368u. Epub 2012 Mar 7.

Abstract

The reductive dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride (CT) by Fe(II)-Fe(III) hydroxide (green rust) intercalated with dodecanoate, Fe(II)(4)Fe(III)(2)(OH)(12)(C(12)H(23)O(2))(2) · yH(2)O (designated GR(C12)), at pH ~ 8 and at room temperature was investigated. CT at concentration levels similar to those found in heavily contaminated groundwater close to polluted industrial sites (14-988 μM) was reduced mainly to the fully dechlorinated products carbon monoxide (CO, yields >54%) and formic acid (HCOOH, yields >6%). Minor formation of chloroform (CF), the only chlorinated degradation product, was also detected (yields <6.3%). Reactions carried out with excess GR followed pseudo first-order kinetics with respect to CT with rate constants ranging from 6.5 × 10(-2) to 0.47 h(-1). These rate constants are comparable to those measured for CT dechlorinations mediated by zerovalent iron. Reduction of the highest concentration of CT (1.4 mM) proceeds until 56% of the Fe(II) sites of GR(C12) was consumed. This reaction ceased after 10 h due to surface passivation of GR(C12).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbon Monoxide / chemistry
  • Carbon Tetrachloride / chemistry*
  • Chlorine / chemistry
  • Environmental Restoration and Remediation / methods*
  • Ferric Compounds / chemistry*
  • Ferrous Compounds / chemistry*
  • Formates / chemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*
  • Water Purification / methods

Substances

  • Ferric Compounds
  • Ferrous Compounds
  • Formates
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • formic acid
  • Chlorine
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Carbon Tetrachloride