Remediation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil using Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles: influencing factors, kinetics and mechanism

Yingying Xie; Zhanqiang Fang; Wen Cheng; Pokeung Eric Tsang; Dongye Zhao

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.03.039

Remediation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil using Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles: influencing factors, kinetics and mechanism

Sci Total Environ. 2014 Jul 1:485-486:363-370. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.03.039. Epub 2014 Apr 16.

Authors

Yingying Xie¹, Zhanqiang Fang², Wen Cheng¹, Pokeung Eric Tsang³, Dongye Zhao⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 51006, China; Guangdong Technology Research Center for Ecological Management and Remediation of Urban Water System, Guangzhou 51006, China.
² School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 51006, China; Guangdong Technology Research Center for Ecological Management and Remediation of Urban Water System, Guangzhou 51006, China. Electronic address: zhqfang@scnu.edu.cn.
³ Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong 00852, China.
⁴ Environmental Engineering Program, Department of Civil Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.

PMID: 24742544
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.03.039

Abstract

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are commonly used as additive flame retardants in all kinds of electronic products. PBDEs are now ubiquitous in the environment, with soil as a major sink, especially in e-waste recycling sites. This study investigated the degradation of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) in a spiked soil using Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles. The results indicated that Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles are able to degrade BDE209 in soil at ambient temperature and the removal efficiency can reach 72% when an initial pH of 5.6 and at a Ni/Fe dosage of 0.03 g/g. A declining trend in degradation was noticed with decreasing Ni loading and increasing of initial BDE209 concentration. The degradation products of BDE209 were analyzed by GC-MS, which showed that the degradation of BDE209 was a process of stepwise debromination from nBr to (n-1)Br. And a possible debromination pathway was proposed. At last, the degradation process was analyzed as two-step mechanism, mass transfer and reaction. This current study shows the potential ability of Ni/Fe nanoparticles to be used for removal of PBDEs in contaminated soil.

Keywords: Degradation; Mechanism; Ni/Fe bimetallic nanoparticles; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Soil.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Environmental Restoration and Remediation / methods*
Flame Retardants / analysis
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / analysis
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / chemistry*
Iron / analysis
Iron / chemistry*
Kinetics
Metal Nanoparticles / analysis
Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
Nickel / chemistry*
Soil / chemistry*
Soil Pollutants / analysis
Soil Pollutants / chemistry*

Substances

Flame Retardants
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
Soil
Soil Pollutants
Nickel
Iron