The passivation of zero-valent aluminum (ZVAl) limits its application in environmental remediation. Herein, a ternary composite material Al-Fe-AC is synthesized via a ball-milling treatment on a mixture of Al0, Fe0, and activated carbon (AC) powders. The results show that the as-prepared micronsized Al-Fe-AC powder could achieve highly efficient nitrate removal and a nitrogen (N2)-selectivity of >75%. The mechanism study reveals that, in the initial stage, numerous Al//AC and Fe//AC microgalvanic cells in the Al-Fe-AC material could lead to a local alkaline environment in the vicinity of the AC cathodes. The local alkalinity depassivated the Al0 component and enabled its continuous dissolution in the subsequent second stage of reaction. The functioning of the AC cathode of the Al//AC microgalvanic cell is revealed as the primary reason accounting for the highly selective reduction of nitrate. The investigation on the mass ratio of raw materials manifested that an Al/Fe/AC mass ratio of 1:1:5 or 1:3:5 was preferable. The test in simulated groundwater suggested that the as-prepared Al-Fe-AC powder could be injected into aquifers to achieve a highly selective reduction of nitrate to nitrogen. This study provides a feasible method to develop high-performance ZVAl-based remedial materials that could work in a wider pH range.
Keywords: local alkalinity; microgalvanic cells; nitrate reduction; nitrogen selectivity; zero-valent aluminum.