Reductive performance of ZVI/Cu polyscale particle to decolorize reactive black 5

Based on direct reducing of copper ions by commercially available zero valent iron (ZVI), ZVI/Cu polyscale particles with high activation are synthesized and exhibit significant removal efficiency for reactive black (RB) dye. The ZVI/Cu polyscale particles could maintain a good performance for RB removal at a wide pH range of 3.0-9.0. Different from the mineralization process of other organic pollutants in ZVI/Cu system, the degradation kinetics of RB could be described well by novel pseudo-second kinetic models. Results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence elemental analysis (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) show the planting Cu has deposited on the surface of Fe⁰ . The characterization of ZVI/Cu particles and RB solution before and after degradation reveals that decolorization of RB is not only resulted from the reduction process including direct reduction by accepting electrons from Fe⁰ oxidation and indirect reduction by atomic hydrogen generated on the ZVI/Cu surface, but also the oxidation of hydroxyl radicals in the mineralization procedure of RB dye.