Cellulose derived carbon nanofiber: A promising biochar support to enhance the catalytic performance of CoFe2O4 in activating peroxymonosulfate for recycled dimethyl phthalate degradation

Lu Gan; Qiang Zhong; Aobo Geng; Linjie Wang; Chi Song; Shuguang Han; Juqing Cui; Lijie Xu

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133705

Cellulose derived carbon nanofiber: A promising biochar support to enhance the catalytic performance of CoFe₂O₄ in activating peroxymonosulfate for recycled dimethyl phthalate degradation

Sci Total Environ. 2019 Dec 1:694:133705. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133705. Epub 2019 Jul 31.

Authors

Lu Gan¹, Qiang Zhong², Aobo Geng², Linjie Wang², Chi Song², Shuguang Han², Juqing Cui², Lijie Xu³

Affiliations

¹ College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: ganlu@njfu.edu.cn.
² College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
³ College of Biology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: xulijie@njfu.edu.cn.

PMID: 31386955
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133705

Abstract

We prepared carbon nanofiber (CCNF) using cellulose as the carbon source in this study and utilized for the first time as the support to enhance the catalytic performance of the cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The catalytic capability of the CoFe₂O₄/CCNF nanocomposites activated PMS was investigated through degrading dimethyl phthalate (DMP), a classical organic pesticide pollutant, in water media. The influence factors like CCNF content, nanocomposite and PMS dosage, DMP content, and pH value on the degradation speed were systematically investigated and analyzed. Since CoFe₂O₄ is a spinel structured molecule which is magnetically separable, the reusability of the prepared CoFe₂O₄/CCNF nanocomposites under multiple cycles was also tested. Besides, the degradation intermediates during the catalytic process were also analyzed and identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with a possible degradation mechanism. The results indicated that the prepared nanocomposite had promising catalytic capability in degrading DMP, in which the SO₄^- radicals played the main role as the active oxidation agent. Furthermore, the CoFe₂O₄/CCNF nanocomposites exhibited very good stability and reusability. The present study provides a clean biochar supported catalyst which could readily enhance the PMS activation efficiency for recycled decontamination of refractory organic pollutants in water media.

Keywords: Cellulose carbon nanofiber; Cobalt ferrite; Dimethyl phthalate degradation; Peroxymonosulfate activation; Recyclable catalyst.

MeSH terms

Carbon
Cellulose / chemistry
Charcoal
Models, Chemical*
Nanofibers / chemistry*
Peroxides / chemistry*
Phthalic Acids / chemistry*

Substances

Peroxides
Phthalic Acids
biochar
dimethyl phthalate
Charcoal
peroxymonosulfate
Carbon
Cellulose