Characterisation and reactivity of iron species in the Fenton reaction

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Torsten Schmidt
• Subject Area: Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Limnology, Urban Water Management, Water Chemistry, Integrated Water Resources Management
• Term: from 2010 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 146578476

The Fenton reaction is the reaction of ferrous iron (Fe(II) with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Although this reaction is well known for a long time and even used in industrial wastewater treatment under suitable pH conditions, a detailed process understanding of the individual reaction steps is still missing. In the proposed follow-up project to the running project SCHM 2350/5-1 we therefore want to continue the mechanistic study of the Fenton reaction. Emphasis is on the analysis of the involved intermediates, the iron-peroxo-complexes, as well as of the postulated reactive species at circumneutral pH, (Fe(IV)). In our research focus are both lifetimes of the reactive species and reactivities with selected probe compounds. For the former a systematic variation of the concentration of hydrogen peroxide and in case of the Fe2+/H2O2-complex and Fe(IV) also of pH shall be performed. The probe compounds for the latter are As(III) and electron-rich aromatic rings. The Fenton reaction is heavily influenced by the presence of iron-complexing agents with regard to the observed rate constant and the formed products. Both shall be investigated as a function of ligand concentration and pH. After a focus on inorganic ligands in the first phase, we will now switch to organic ligands. The gained knowledge shall be exemplarily applied for the improvement of the degradation of Bisphenol S, an important industrial chemical, for which elimination by the Fenton process is already used in wastewater treatment.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants