Surface composition and catalytic activity of an iron mining residue for simultaneous degradation of sulfonamide antibiotics

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 1710 - 1720
• Main Authors: Ayala-Durán, Saidy C., Hammer, Peter, Pupo Nogueira, Raquel F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Antibiotics; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Black light; Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Cerium; Cerium oxides; Degradation; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Ferric Compounds; Fluorescence spectroscopy; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydrogen Peroxide - chemistry; Iron; Iron oxides; Irradiation; Light irradiation; Mining; Oxides; pH effects; Phosphorus pentoxide; Photoelectron spectroscopy; Photoelectrons; Pretreatment; Research Article; Residues; Silicon Dioxide; Spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; Sulfamethazine; Sulfathiazole; Sulfonamides; Titanium; Titanium dioxide; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; X-ray fluorescence; Photo-Fenton; Heterogeneous; Sulfathiazole; Sulfamethazine; Mining residues
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06662-1

Iron mining residue was evaluated as a potential catalyst for heterogeneous Fenton/photo-Fenton degradation of sulfonamide antibiotics. The residue contained 25% Fe 2 O 3 and 8% CeO 2 , as determined by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as other minor phases such as P 2 O 5 , SiO 2 , and TiO 2 . X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed a lower content of iron oxides on the surface, which restricted interaction of the residue with H 2 O 2 . Despite this limitation and the relatively low specific surface area (26 m 2 g -1 ) of the crude iron mining residue (without any pretreatment), the material presented high catalytic activity for Fenton degradation of sulfonamide antibiotics. The degradation was strongly dependent on the initial pH, showing the highest efficiency at pH 2.5. For this condition, a concentration of sulfathiazole below the detection limit was obtained within 30 min, under black light irradiation and using 0.3 g L -1 residue, with low H 2 O 2 consumption (0.2 mmol L -1 ). The residue also provided highly efficient sulfathiazole degradation in the dark, with the concentration of the antibiotic decreasing to an undetectable level after 45 min. Simultaneous degradation of two sulfonamide antibiotics revealed higher recalcitrance of sulfamethazine, compared to sulfathiazole, but the levels of both antibiotics decreased to below the detection limit after 45 min. The residue was very stable, since no significant concentration of soluble iron was detected after the degradation process. Furthermore, high catalytic activity was maintained during up to five cycles, showing the potential of this material for use as a low-cost and environmentally compliant catalyst in Fenton processes.