Low-Temperature Reduction Synthesis of γ-Fe2O3-x@biochar Catalysts and Their Combining with Peroxymonosulfate for Quinclorac Degradation

Mei-E Zhong; Gongsong Tong; Jingchun Sun; Nan Zhou; Chunxia Ding; Xiangying Liu; Austin Merchant; Xuguo Zhou

doi:10.3390/ijerph192416790

Low-Temperature Reduction Synthesis of γ-Fe₂O_3-x@biochar Catalysts and Their Combining with Peroxymonosulfate for Quinclorac Degradation

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 14;19(24):16790. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416790.

Authors

Mei-E Zhong¹, Gongsong Tong¹, Jingchun Sun¹, Nan Zhou¹, Chunxia Ding¹, Xiangying Liu^{2

3

4}, Austin Merchant⁴, Xuguo Zhou⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hunan Agricultural University, No.1 Nongda Road, Furong District, Changsha 410128, China.
² College of Plant Protection, Hunan Agricultural University, No.1 Nongda Road, Furong District, Changsha 410128, China.
³ Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Biology and Control of Weeds, Hunan Agricultural University, No.1 Nongda Road, Furong District, Changsha 410125, China.
⁴ Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, S-225 Agricultural Science Center North, Lexington, KY 40546-0091, USA.

Abstract

Biochar loading mixed-phase iron oxide shows great advantages as a promising catalyst owing to its eco-friendliness and low cost. Here, γ-Fe₂O_3-x@biochar (E/Fe-N-BC) composite was successfully prepared by the sol-gel method combined with low-temperature (280 °C) reduction. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) result indicated that γ-Fe₂O_3-x particles with the size of approximately 200 nm were well-dispersed on the surface of biochar. The CO derived from biomass pyrolysis is the main reducing component for the generation of Fe (II). The high content of Fe (II) contributed to the excellent catalytic performance of E/Fe-N-BC for quinclorac (QNC) degradation in the presence of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The removal efficiency of 10 mg/L of QNC was 100% within 30 min using 0.3 g/L γ-Fe₂O_3-x@biochar catalyst and 0.8 mM PMS. The radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis confirmed that •OH and SO₄•^- were the main radicals during the degradation of QNC. The facile and easily mass-production of γ-Fe₂O_3-x@biochar with high catalytic activity make it a promising catalyst to activate PMS for the removal of organic pollutants.

Keywords: biochar; low–temperature reduction; peroxymonosulfate; quinclorac; γ–Fe2O3.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Charcoal*
Temperature

Substances

biochar
peroxymonosulfate
quinclorac
Charcoal

Grants and funding

This research was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China grant number 32172464; the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (2022JJ50042); Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for College Students of Hunan Agricultural University grant number CX20210659.