Degradation of 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) from aqueous solution by coupled electrocoagulation process with persulfate salt

Amir Mirshafiee; Mohammad Darvish

doi:10.1007/s40201-021-00668-z

Degradation of 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) from aqueous solution by coupled electrocoagulation process with persulfate salt

J Environ Health Sci Eng. 2021 Apr 28;19(1):1035-1041. doi: 10.1007/s40201-021-00668-z. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Authors

Amir Mirshafiee^{1

2}, Mohammad Darvish¹

Affiliations

¹ Health Research Center, Life Style Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Purpose: The 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is the major explosive extensively applied in demolition of structure, military activity, and mining industry. This research was investigating the degradation rate of TNT in aqueous solution using electrochemical combined with persulfate anions.

Methods: In this study, the effect of seven independent variables including pH, reaction time, current density, type (NaCl, Na₂SO₄, NaNO₃) and concentration of salts, initial concentration of TNT, scavenger type, and persulfate concentration were studied on TNT removal. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to measure TNT concentration.

Results: The findings indicated that the optimum conditions for TNT reduction were pH = 5, time = 45 min, current density = 1.75 mA/cm², initial concentration of TNT = 25 mg/l, persulfate concentration = 0.3 mg/l, and Na₂SO₄ concentration = 1.75 mg/l which the removal rate of TNT was found to be 88.0 ± 4.4%.

Conclusion: According to the findings, electrocoagulation procedure is suggested as an applicable method in TNT reduction from aqueous solution.

Keywords: Electrochemical; Persulfate; Red water; TNT.