Degradation of Trichloroethylene by Biochar Supported Nano Zero-Valent Iron (Bc-Nzvi): The Role of Specific Surface Area and Electrochemical Properties

Abstract

Direct electron transfer and the involvement of atomic hydrogen (H*) are considered the main mechanisms for reductive dechlorination promoted by nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) supported on highly conductive carbon. It is still unclear how precisely H*, the specific surface area, and the electrochemical characteristics contribute to BC-nZVI activity in chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminant removal. In this study, the contributions of specific surface area and electrochemical performance to H* generation and electron transfer have been assessed. The results have demonstrated that the elimination of TCE was not significantly affected by differences in BC-nZVI specific surface area, but electron transfer and sustained generation of H* were dependent on the catalyst electrochemical characteristics. This study focuses on the role of H* and electrochemical performance in TCE reductive dechlorination and provides a theoretical foundation and experimental support for the practical application of BC-nZVIs.

Keywords: Biochar, nano zero-valent iron, electron transfer, Specific surface area, Atomic hydrogen