Degradation of bisphenol-A by dielectric barrier discharge system: the influence of Polyethylene glycol stabilized nano zero valent iron particles

Abstract

In this study we report the synthesis and catalytic properties of polyethylene glycol stabilized nano zero valent iron particles (PEG-nZVI) added to the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system to induce photo-Fenton process in the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution. The influence of operating parameters such as solution pH, initial concentration of the modelled pollutant and PEG-nZVI dosage on the extent of BPA degradation was investigated. The residual concentration of BPA and its intermediates were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS). The high resolution scanning electron microscope (HRSEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed the formation of filamentous, high surface area iron nanoparticles in the zero valent state. The BPA mineralization rate was monitored using total organic carbon (TOC) analyser. 100% BPA removal was achieved with DBD/PEG-nZVI system within 30min compared to 67.9% (BPA) with DBD alone after 80min. The complete BPA removal within a short reaction time was attributed to the existence of a synergetic effect in the combined DBD/PEG-nZVI system. Five new transformation products of BPA namely: 4-nitrophenol (C6H5NO3), 4-nitrosophenolate (C6H4NO2), 4-(prop-1-en-2-yl) cyclohexa3,5-diene-1,2-dione, (C9H8O2), 4-(2-hydroxylpropan-2-yl)cyclohexane-3,5-diene-1,2-dione (C9H10O3), and 1,2-dimethyl-4-(2-nitropropan-2-yl)benzene (C9H10NO4) were identified. BPA degradation proceeded via ozonation, hydroxylation, dimerization, and decarboxylation and nitration step. The combined DBD/photo-Fenton-induced process was found to be the most efficient in the elimination of BPA in aqueous solutions and DBD alone.