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Role of ferric oxide in abiotic humification enhancement of organic matter

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  • The 9th International Conference on Waste Management and Technology, 9th ICWMT 2014
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Abstract

The significance of humification pathway as promoted by metallic oxides has previously been well investigated using a model system containing humus precursors. Metallic oxides, co-existing with organic matter in nature, are capable of promoting humification of organic matter to different degrees. This study is an investigation into the role of ferric oxide in the process of humification, based on the degree of darkening for humus precursors. Glucose (Glu), glycine (Gly) and catechol (Cat) were introduced as humification model precursors, and the role of ferric oxide in different periods of humification was discussed by characterizing humification degree in terms of dissolved organic carbon, ratio of Fulvic acids (FA) to Humic acids (HA), and E 600. Valence changes of Fe were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that ferric oxide was effective on the conversion from FA to HA, and the effectiveness grew as the ferric oxide concentration increased. A higher pH value was more conducive to form dark substances. Amounts of Fe with various valences changed remarkably after humification, suggesting that ferric oxide was involved in the humification reaction.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the financial support from the grant National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51208280) and Tsinghua University-Veolia Environment Joint Research Center for Advanced Environmental Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Yingchao Zhang, Dongbei Yue, Kaiyun Zhao & Hong Ma

  2. The 2nd Subsidiary, Beijing Environment Sanitation Engineering Group Co., Ltd, Beijing, 100101, China

    Xufei Lu

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  1. Yingchao Zhang
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  2. Dongbei Yue
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Correspondence to Dongbei Yue.

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Zhang, Y., Yue, D., Lu, X. et al. Role of ferric oxide in abiotic humification enhancement of organic matter. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 19, 585–591 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-015-0435-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-015-0435-2

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