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Performance and mechanism of biochar@FeMg-LDH for efficient activation of persulfate for degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol in groundwater

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Abstract

Groundwater environments are complex, and traditional advanced oxidation technologies mainly based on free radicals have limitations such as poor selectivity and low interference resistance, making it difficult to efficiently degrade target pollutants in groundwater. Therefore, we developed a sludge-based biochar-supported FeMg-layered double hydroxide catalyst (BC@FeMg-LDH) for the catalytic degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol (2, 4-DCP) using persulfate (PDS) as an oxidant. The removal efficiency of the catalyst exceeded 95%, showing high oxidation activity in a wide pH range while being almost unaffected by reducing substances and ions in the environment. Meanwhile, under neutral conditions, the leaching of metal ions from BC@FeMg-LDH was minimal, thereby eliminating the risk of secondary pollution. According to quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, the main active species during BC@FeMg-LDH/PDS degradation of 2, 4-DCP is 1O2, indicating a non-radical reaction mechanism dominated by 1O2. Characterization techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, revealed that the carbonyl (C = O) and metal hydroxyl (M-OH) groups on the material surface were the main reactive sites mediating 1O2 generation. The 1O2 generation mechanism during the reaction involved ketone-like activation of carbonyl groups on the biochar surface and complexation of hydroxyl groups on the material surface with PDS, resulting in the formation of O2·− and further generation of 1O2. 1O2 exhibited high selectivity toward electron-rich organic compounds such as 2, 4-DCP and demonstrated strong interference resistance in complex groundwater environments. Therefore, BC@FeMg-LDH holds promising applications for the remediation of organic-contaminated groundwater.

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Funding

This work was supported by Suzhou Science and Technology Plan Project (SS2019005 and SS202036).

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Author notes

  1. Yuanye Mo and Xianrong Meng contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, China

    Yuanye Mo, Chengbao Liu, Leizhi Zheng, Feng Chen, Junchao Qian & Zhigang Chen

  2. Postdoctoral Innovation Practice Base of Jiangsu Province, Suzhou Institute of Environmental Science, Suzhou, 215009, China

    Xianrong Meng & Wei Xu

  3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science, Suzhou, 215009, China

    Yuanye Mo, Chengbao Liu, Leizhi Zheng, Feng Chen, Junchao Qian & Zhigang Chen

  4. Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material for Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, China

    Chengbao Liu, Leizhi Zheng, Feng Chen, Junchao Qian & Zhigang Chen

  5. Suzhou Yifante Environmental Remediation Co., Ltd, Suzhou, 215168, China

    Hui Cai

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Contributions

Mo Yuanye, Meng Xianrong, and Liu Chengbao contributed to the conception of the study; Mo Yuanye performed the experiment; Mo Yuanye, Meng Xianrong, and Liu Chengbao contributed significantly to analysis and manuscript preparation; Mo Yuanye and Cai Hui performed the data analyses and wrote the manuscript; Xu Wei, Zheng Leizhi, Chen Feng, Qian Junchao, and Chen Zhigang helped perform the analysis with constructive discussions.

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Correspondence to Chengbao Liu.

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Mo, Y., Meng, X., Liu, C. et al. Performance and mechanism of biochar@FeMg-LDH for efficient activation of persulfate for degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol in groundwater. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 22630–22644 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32456-1

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