Characteristics of persulfate gel materials in groundwater remediation: Column and tank experiments investigations.

Using persulfate and environment-friendly gel solution as raw materials, persulfate gel sustained-release material (PGSR) and persulfate gelatin gel sustained-release material (G-PGSR) were developed. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of PGSR and G-PGSR in sustained release, migration and removal performance through column and tank experimental investigations. Results showed that the maximum release rates of PGSR and G-PGSR in water columns were 1.34 and 0.58 mg min-1 and the cumulative release amounts achieved 2950 and 2818 mg within 75 h, representing release efficiencies of 98.3 % and 93.9 %, respectively. In three sand columns, the maximum release rate was 0.32, 0.21, and 0.16 mg min-1 and the cumulative release achieved 473, 426, and 359 mg within 90 h with release efficiencies of 94.7 %, 85.3 %, and 71.7 %, respectively. Release time and rate of PGSR and G-PGSR are constrained by the permeability of porous media. G-PGSR in the sand tank exhibited migration and release characteristic with the slow-release diffusion effect. Lateral diffusion produced higher S2O82- concentration far beyond what was allowed in the tank. The saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased from 4.9 × 10-3, 1.1 × 10-3, and 4.9 × 10-4 cm s-1 to 2.4 × 10-3, 7.4 × 10-4, and 2.1 × 10-4 cm s-1 in columns filled with medium, fine, and silt, respectively. G-PGSR injection did not significantly change the order of magnitude of hydraulic conductivity. 2,4-dinitrotoluene removal performance was affected with the inlet flow rates, which decreased from 92 %, 82 %, and 78 % to 42 %, 28 %, and 8 % during 24 PV at the flow rate of 0.5, 1.5, and 4.5 mL min-1, respectively. Moreover, the removal efficiency was enhanced by G-PGSR with activated carbon as an activator. This study expands our understanding and ability of persulfate gel materials for groundwater remediation and provides a certain research basis for practical applications.

Preparation and properties of the persulfate gel materials and application for the remediation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene contaminated groundwater.

This study aims to develop persulfate new gel sustaining-release material (PGSR) and gelatin-gel sustaining-release material (G-PGSR) that can be injected into aquifers and slowly release S2O82- to groundwater. Compatibility and miscibility of colloidal silica gels and gelatin with S2O82- were tested. Morphologies of the as-prepared PGSR and G-PGSR were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR). Release characteristics of PGSR containing variable persulfate concentrations (from 1.25 wt% to 5 wt%), silica sol (from 30 wt% to 40 wt%), and gelatin (from 0.5 wt% to 2.0 wt%) were monitored. Viscosities of PGSR solution increased from 5 to 112 cP with increasing silica sol from 30 wt% to 40 wt% during the first 10 min. Viscosities of PGSR solution in 40 wt% silica sol increased to 346 cP within the 30 min and rapidly increased to 8000 cP within the next 30 min followed by the gelation phase. Gelation rates of the PGSR solution increased with increased persulfate concentrations from 1.25 wt% to 5.0 wt%. The maximum release rates achieved at 5 h in G-PGSR were 1.98 mg of S2O82- per min similar to that in PGSR. The release persulfate concentrations in G-PGSR suggested that gelatin and colloidal silica were both compatible and miscible with S2O82-. Meanwhile, the PGSR exhibits a characteristic two-phase increase in viscosity with increased silica sol concentrations, persulfate concentrations, and gelatin concentrations. Compared with the persulfate only system, the degradation efficiency of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) was achieved 91.5 % within 3 h, while 78.6 % and 66.9 % degradation efficiency were shown in PGSR and G-PGSR, respectively. The PGSR and G-PGSR both could create persistent oxidation degradation of 2,4-DNT. Results suggested that colloidal silica and gelatin could be used to create PGSR and G-PGSR for persistent oxidation in groundwater remediation.

A comparative study on the treatment of 2,4-dinitrotoluene contaminated groundwater in the combined system: efficiencies, intermediates and mechanisms.

In this study, scrap irons (SI)/granular activated carbons (GAC) micro-electrolysis treatment and persulfate-releasing materials (PRM) treatment were employed to construct the combination reduction and oxidation system to treat 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) contaminated groundwater. The 2,4-DNT treatment efficiencies in the PRM pre-treatment before SI/GAC micro-electrolysis treatment (FM-1 = PRM + SI/GAC) and SI/GAC micro-electrolysis pre-treatment before the PRM treatment (FM-3 = SI/GAC + PRM) were investigated in two separated columns. As control groups, the separated SI and GAC instead of the SI/GAC mixture were used in another two separated columns (FM-2 = PRM + SI + GAC; FM-4 = SI + GAC + PRM). The highest treatment efficiencies of 2,4-DNT in the FM-1 and FM-3 systems reached 79% and 93% during 5 PV, respectively. We found that the filling position of SI, GAC and PRM significantly affected the variations of pH, oxidation-reduction potential, Fe2+ and S2O82- concentrations in the combined systems. These results indicated that the SI/GAC micro-electrolysis pre-treatment of 2,4-DNT before the PRM treatment (FM-3) is more beneficial. The fifteen main intermediates in the combined system were identified by the detection of liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer. Furthermore, the possible treatment pathways of 2.4-DNT were proposed on the basis of identified intermediates. The treatment mechanisms in the FM-1 and FM-3 systems were proposed with the reduction mechanism in the SI/GAC micro-electrolysis system and the oxidation mechanism in the PRM treatment. Therefore, the combination of the reduction pre-treatment with the SI/GAC micro-electrolysis system and the oxidation post-treatment with persulfate can effectively treat the nitroaromatic compounds contaminated groundwater.