Application of copper sulfate based fenton-like catalyst in degradation of quinoline

Abstract

In the practical application of water treatment, the Fenton reaction usually works at a lower pH. To overcome the above shortcomings, a Fenton-like reaction system with copper sulfate as a catalyst was proposed. In this paper, quinoline was used as the target pollutant and the effects of catalyst dosage, H2O2 dosage, reaction temperature, and initial concentration of quinoline and pH on the removal effect were investigated, and the evolution in pH and hydroxyl radical concentration during reaction, as well as the possible catalytic mechanism and degradation pathway were clarified. The results show that under a catalyst dosage of 0.4 g･L-1, a H2O2 dosage of 196 mmol･L-1, a quinoline concentration of 100 mg･L-1 and a temperature of 75°C, the removal of quinoline and total organic carbon (TOC) reaches 99.5% and 87.2% in 65 min, respectively. Furthermore, the copper sulfate-driven homogeneous Fenton system exhibits a superior adaptability to pH in the range of 3.8 to 8.8. In the degradation of quinoline, ·OH radicals may attack the nitrogen ring and the benzene ring in sequence. The work provides a technical support for the treatment of organic wastewater, and shows promising in practical applications.