Cation-π Induced Cleavage of Organic Pollutants with H 2 O to . OH for Water Purification

Abstract

High energy consumption is impedimental for eliminating refractory organic pollutants in water by applying advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Herein, we develop a novel process to degrade and mineralize them like bisphenol A, et al, in chemical conjuncted Fe0-FeyCz/Fex , graphited ZIF-8 and rGO air-saturated aqueous suspension without additional energy. In this process, a strong Fe-π interaction occurs on the composite surface, causing the surface potential energy ~ 310.97-663.96 kJ/mol. The electrons for the adsorbed group of pollutants are found to delocalize to around the iron species and could be trapped by O2 in aqueous suspension , producing · OH, H and adsorbed organic cation radicals, which are hydrolyzed or hydrogenated to intermediate. The target pollutants undergo surface cleavage, and convert H2O to . OH, consuming chemical adsorption energy (~2.852 - 9.793 kJ/mol), much lower than that of AOPs. Our findings provide novel technology for water purification and bring new insights into pollutant control chemistry.