[Degradation of phenol with a Fe/cu-catalytic heterogeneous-Fenton process]

The catalysts of Fe/AC, Cu/AC and Fe-Cu/AC with active carbon as support were prepared by a wet impregnation method, and were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements; the catalytic heterogeneous-Fenton processes of phenol degradation with these catalysts were also investigated, and the degradation mechanism was discussed with analysis of intermediate products and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement. The results showed that the active component states varied in different catalysts; CuO was the main state of Cu in Cu/AC and Fe exhibited various valence states in Fe/AC. The degradation rate of phenol with Fe/AC, Cu/AC and Fe-Cu/AC as catalyst in the initial 60 min reached 96.7%, 77.5% and 99%, respectively; the dissolution of a little active-component metal was found in Cu/AC and Fe-Cu/AC, but little Fe in Fe/AC was dissolved; the degradation of phenol was performed by heterogeneous Fe/AC instead of dissolved Fe, and the degradation rate was above 93% after Fe/AC was used for three cycle runs, showing a stable catalytic activity. Under the optimum conditions of pH = 3, T = 303 K, and 4.38 mmol x L(-1) H2O2, the removal of phenol and TOC in the Fe/AC-catalytic Fenton process could reach 97% and 53%, respectively, while little phenol was degraded without catalyst. The ESR results indicated that hydroxyl radical was produced in the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 with Fe/AC as catalyst, demonstrating that the degradation of phenol mainly followed an oxidation pathway of hydroxyl radical; intermediates such as hydroquinone, p-benzenequinone and catechol were obtained, and the results showed thatortho- and para-substitution reaction by hydroxyl might be the main mechanism of phenol oxidation.