Application of Metallic Iron and Ferrates in Water and Wastewater Treatment for Cr(VI) and Organic Contaminants Removal
Iron species can act as electron donors, electron acceptors or serve as a sorbent to co-precipitate contaminants. These properties, along with its relatively low cost as a material, make iron an ideal compound for environmental applications in the removal of pollutants from water and wastewater. Thi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | Resources |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/12/3/39 |
| _version_ | 1797609174626992128 |
|---|---|
| author | Georgios Samiotis Adam Stimoniaris Ilias Ristanis Liana Kemmou Charoula Mavromatidou Elisavet Amanatidou |
| author_facet | Georgios Samiotis Adam Stimoniaris Ilias Ristanis Liana Kemmou Charoula Mavromatidou Elisavet Amanatidou |
| author_sort | Georgios Samiotis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Iron species can act as electron donors, electron acceptors or serve as a sorbent to co-precipitate contaminants. These properties, along with its relatively low cost as a material, make iron an ideal compound for environmental applications in the removal of pollutants from water and wastewater. This study assesses the use of metallic iron as a reductant for the removal of toxic Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions, as well as the use of hexavalent iron (ferrates) for the removal of organic compounds, turbidity and biological contaminants from water and wastewater. Laboratory-scale experiments show that the Cr(VI) removal efficiency of metallic iron filling materials, such as scrap iron fillings, via reduction to Cr(III) and the subsequent precipitation/filtration of aggregates can reach values over 99.0%. Moreover, the efficiency of ferrates, in situ synthesized via a low-cost Fe<sup>0</sup>/Fe<sup>0</sup> electrochemical cell, in the removal of organic compounds, turbidity and biological contaminants from high-strength industrial wastewater, biologically treated wastewater and natural water can also reach values over 99.0%. The results showed that iron species can be applied in low-cost and environmentally friendly technologies for natural water remediation and wastewater treatment. Furthermore, the study showed that the challenge of an iron material’s surface passivation, as well as of ferrates’ procurement cost and stability, can be resolved via the application of ultrasounds and via in situ ferrate electrosynthesis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:57:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fc76ee7db4d04c388e4519c18ea03e5e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-9276 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:57:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Resources |
| spelling | doaj.art-fc76ee7db4d04c388e4519c18ea03e5e2023-11-17T13:41:27ZengMDPI AGResources2079-92762023-03-011233910.3390/resources12030039Application of Metallic Iron and Ferrates in Water and Wastewater Treatment for Cr(VI) and Organic Contaminants RemovalGeorgios Samiotis0Adam Stimoniaris1Ilias Ristanis2Liana Kemmou3Charoula Mavromatidou4Elisavet Amanatidou5Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry & Water and Wastewater Treatment, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kila University Campus, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, GreeceLaboratory of Environmental Chemistry & Water and Wastewater Treatment, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kila University Campus, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, GreeceLaboratory of Environmental Chemistry & Water and Wastewater Treatment, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kila University Campus, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, GreeceLaboratory of Environmental Chemistry & Water and Wastewater Treatment, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kila University Campus, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, GreeceLaboratory of Environmental Chemistry & Water and Wastewater Treatment, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kila University Campus, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, GreeceLaboratory of Environmental Chemistry & Water and Wastewater Treatment, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kila University Campus, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, GreeceIron species can act as electron donors, electron acceptors or serve as a sorbent to co-precipitate contaminants. These properties, along with its relatively low cost as a material, make iron an ideal compound for environmental applications in the removal of pollutants from water and wastewater. This study assesses the use of metallic iron as a reductant for the removal of toxic Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions, as well as the use of hexavalent iron (ferrates) for the removal of organic compounds, turbidity and biological contaminants from water and wastewater. Laboratory-scale experiments show that the Cr(VI) removal efficiency of metallic iron filling materials, such as scrap iron fillings, via reduction to Cr(III) and the subsequent precipitation/filtration of aggregates can reach values over 99.0%. Moreover, the efficiency of ferrates, in situ synthesized via a low-cost Fe<sup>0</sup>/Fe<sup>0</sup> electrochemical cell, in the removal of organic compounds, turbidity and biological contaminants from high-strength industrial wastewater, biologically treated wastewater and natural water can also reach values over 99.0%. The results showed that iron species can be applied in low-cost and environmentally friendly technologies for natural water remediation and wastewater treatment. Furthermore, the study showed that the challenge of an iron material’s surface passivation, as well as of ferrates’ procurement cost and stability, can be resolved via the application of ultrasounds and via in situ ferrate electrosynthesis.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/12/3/39metallic ironhexavalent ironsurface passivationwater treatmentwastewaterhexavalent chromium |
| spellingShingle | Georgios Samiotis Adam Stimoniaris Ilias Ristanis Liana Kemmou Charoula Mavromatidou Elisavet Amanatidou Application of Metallic Iron and Ferrates in Water and Wastewater Treatment for Cr(VI) and Organic Contaminants Removal Resources metallic iron hexavalent iron surface passivation water treatment wastewater hexavalent chromium |
| title | Application of Metallic Iron and Ferrates in Water and Wastewater Treatment for Cr(VI) and Organic Contaminants Removal |
| title_full | Application of Metallic Iron and Ferrates in Water and Wastewater Treatment for Cr(VI) and Organic Contaminants Removal |
| title_fullStr | Application of Metallic Iron and Ferrates in Water and Wastewater Treatment for Cr(VI) and Organic Contaminants Removal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of Metallic Iron and Ferrates in Water and Wastewater Treatment for Cr(VI) and Organic Contaminants Removal |
| title_short | Application of Metallic Iron and Ferrates in Water and Wastewater Treatment for Cr(VI) and Organic Contaminants Removal |
| title_sort | application of metallic iron and ferrates in water and wastewater treatment for cr vi and organic contaminants removal |
| topic | metallic iron hexavalent iron surface passivation water treatment wastewater hexavalent chromium |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/12/3/39 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT georgiossamiotis applicationofmetallicironandferratesinwaterandwastewatertreatmentforcrviandorganiccontaminantsremoval AT adamstimoniaris applicationofmetallicironandferratesinwaterandwastewatertreatmentforcrviandorganiccontaminantsremoval AT iliasristanis applicationofmetallicironandferratesinwaterandwastewatertreatmentforcrviandorganiccontaminantsremoval AT lianakemmou applicationofmetallicironandferratesinwaterandwastewatertreatmentforcrviandorganiccontaminantsremoval AT charoulamavromatidou applicationofmetallicironandferratesinwaterandwastewatertreatmentforcrviandorganiccontaminantsremoval AT elisavetamanatidou applicationofmetallicironandferratesinwaterandwastewatertreatmentforcrviandorganiccontaminantsremoval |