Amplification effects of magnetic field on hydroxylamine-promoted ZVI/H2O2 near-neutral Fenton like system

ABSTRACT This study has demonstrated an interesting amplification effect of magnetic field (MF) on the hydroxylamine (HA)-promoted zero valent iron (ZVI)/H2O2 Fenton-like system. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) could be efficiently degraded at near neutral pH. Conditional parameters affecting the SMX degradation in the ZVI/H2O2/HA/MF system, e.g. pH and the dosages of ZVI, HA and H2O2, were investigated. Unlike the acid-favorable ZVI/H2O2 and ZVI/H2O2/HA systems, the MF-assisted system exhibited good performances even at pH up to 6.0 and highest degradation rate at pH of 5.0. •OH was still identified as the responsible oxidant. A mechanism involving the MF-enhanced heterogeneous-homogeneous iron cycle was proposed in the near-neutral ZVI/H2O2/HA system. Without MF, HA-induced reductive dissolution of the surface iron oxides occurred and thus leaded to homogeneous Fenton reactions. After the introduction of MF, the gradient magnetic field formed on the ZVI particles would induce the generation of concentration cells of Fe(II) and local corrosion of iron. Large amounts of aqueous and bounded Fe(II) catalyzed H2O2 to efficiently produce OH•, while HA maintained the surface and bulk cycles of Fe(II)/Fe(III). The result of study is expected to provide a green, energy-free method in improving the effectiveness of ZVI-based Fenton-like technologies at weak-acidic circumstances.