Efficient reduction of nitrobenzene into aniline using Fe-rich waste from electric furnace dust

Nitroaromatic compounds are widely used in the industry. They are most often resistant to microbial degradation, mutagenic and carcinogenic. As a consequence, reduction of nitroaromatic compounds into less toxic and biodegradable products has been studied using Fe0. Here, we tested iron-rich waste from electric furnace dust to convert nitrobenzene into aniline. Thermal reduction of electric furnace dust under hydrogen at 500 °C gave a material with about 56 % Fe0 and 21 % FeO. This material allowed to decrease 86 % of nitrobenzene during the conversion of nitrobenzene into aniline. In conclusion, electric arc furnace dust can be transformed into an efficient reducing reagent.