Nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI)
was reported as an effective material
for the removal of bromate. However, its reactivity may be weakened
due to its aggregation. In this study, nZVI was dispersed onto modified
activated carbon (pretreated by nitric acid or/and ammonia) by impregnating
carbon in ferrous sulfate with NaBH4 as reducing agent.
The nZVI supported on modified activated carbon (nZVI/MAC) was characterized
by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and
transmission electron microscope (TEM). Good distribution of nZVI
particles (about 50 nm) on the MAC was observed. The removal efficiencies
of bromate by AC, nZVI, and nZVI/MAC were respectively evaluated.
Experimental results indicated that nZVI/MAC showed the highest removal
efficiency to bromate. In addition, the effects of initial bromate
concentration (0.78–3.91 μmol/L) and pH (2.0–10.0)
were investigated by batch experiments. Kinetic studies showed that
the simultaneous adsorption and reduction of bromate by nZVI/MAC followed
pseudo-first-order kinetics. Finally, bromine mass balance demonstrated
that bromide was the only product for bromate reduction by nZVI/MAC,
suggesting that bromate in aqueous solution was first adsorbed onto
nZVI/MAC and subsequently reduced to innocuous bromide by nZVI.
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