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Influence of Fe(III) on Cr(VI) Reduction by Organic Reducing Substances from Sugarcane Molasses

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Abstract

The effect of Fe(III) on Cr(VI) reduction by organic reducing substances in sugarcane molasses was investigated under different conditions [i.e., Fe(III) concentration, pH, and temperature] using batch experiments. Results indicated that Fe(III) can accelerate Cr(VI) reduction by sugarcane molasses over a wide pH range. The catalytic mechanism of the reaction involved the formation of organic reducing substance complexes with both Fe(III) and Cr(VI) that decrease the reaction activation energy of Cr(VI) reduction and accelerate electron transfer between Cr(VI) and organic reducing substances. The reaction could be described by a pseudo-first-order kinetic model with respect to Cr(VI) concentration. Increasing the Fe(III) concentration could promote Cr(VI) reduction. At pH 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 5.6, and 8.0, the initial reaction rates (vinitial) increased by 0.68, 0.84, 1.38, 1.39, 0.89, and 0.29 times, respectively, in the presence of Fe(III) compared with those obtained without Fe(III). The vinitial increased by 0.87 times in the presence of Fe(III) compared with that without Fe(III) at 10 °C (pH 2.5).

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Acknowledgments

This research project was supported by College Innovation Ability Promotion Projects of Beijing Municipal Education Commission (Grant No. TJSHG201310772028). The authors are grateful to the Analysis and Testing Foundation of the Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education.

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  1. Key Lab of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China

    Zi-Fang Chen, Yong-Sheng Zhao & Qin Li

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  1. Zi-Fang Chen
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Correspondence to Yong-Sheng Zhao.

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Chen, ZF., Zhao, YS. & Li, Q. Influence of Fe(III) on Cr(VI) Reduction by Organic Reducing Substances from Sugarcane Molasses. Water Air Soil Pollut 227, 19 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-015-2678-x

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