Oxidative Degradation of Quinoline Using Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron Supported by Granular Activated Carbon

AbstractThe nano zero-valent iron supported granular activated carbon (nFe0/GAC or 2.5%-nFe0/GAC) was synthesized by the liquid chemical reduction method and further used for the oxidative degradation of quinoline. The 2.5%-nFe0/GAC was characterized by various techniques such as Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). It was ascertained that iron is of zero state and well dispersed on GAC. The 2.5%-nFe0/GAC exhibited an H4 type hysteresis loop with a surface area of ∼240  m2/g. The kinetic study reveals that quinoline degradation follows the pseudo–first order. At optimum conditions of pH=4, m=7.5  g/L, Co=100  mg/L, and T=303  K, it was observed that (1) ∼93% of quinoline and ∼63% of total organic carbon (TOC) removal is obtained, (2) iron leaching is within the permissible limit, and (3) it requires ∼63±5  min for completion of the half-life of quinoline. The activation ...