Abiotic Degradation of Nitroaromatic Compounds by Steel Converter Slag with Fe(II)

Abstract

The abiotic degradation of 3 nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) by steel converter slag(SCS) with Fe(II) was investigated in this study. Experimental results showed that in aqueous solutions of steel converter slag, Fe(II) readily reduce nitrobenzene (NB), p-chloronitrobenzene (P-ClNB) and 2, 4-dinitrotoluene (2, 4DNT) to the corresponding anilines. The initial kinetics of the reduction could be well described by pseudo-first-order dynamical equation. The HPLC results illustrated that the reduction of NACs mainly involved with the nitro groups with the reduction pathway of: nitro- rarr nitroso- rarr hydroxamino- rarr amino-. Our findings suggested that Fe(II) adsorbed on SCS surfaces may play an important role in abiotic reduction of aromatic pollutants in anoxic environment such as constructed wetland or saturated soil aquifer where SCS is used as substrate.