Optimizing Reductive Degradation of PAHs Using Anhydrous Ethanol with Magnesium Catalyzed by Glacial Acetic Acid

Abstract

Targeted degradation of individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) constituents like anthracene, may offer cost effective and efficient cleaning of coal tar-contaminated sites. Thus, a reductive degradation procedure of anthracene using activated magnesium with anhydrous ethanol at room temperature was developed and optimized. To determine the optimum conditions for anthracene, such as effective magnesium concentrations, glacial acetic acid volumes, and exposure time for the anthracene reduction, the experiments were designed using the response surface methodology based on the central composite design. The design also minimized the number of experiments. The main product from anthracene reduction is 9,10-dihyrdoanthracene. Optimum conditions for 98% degradation capacity of anthracene (2.80 × 10 –3 mmol) were 30 mg of Mg powder (1.20 mmol), 60 μL of glacial acetic acid (1.05 mmol), and 30 min exposure time. When the optimized method was tested on the coal tar specimen, twice as many reagents (i.e., Mg and glacial acetic acid) were required to obtain a 90% degradation of anthracene and fluoranthene from the coal tar. This method of using activated Mg and anhydrous ethanol selectively reduces PAHs in coal tar; in particular anthracene and fluoranthene are most efficiently removed.

Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons over CuZnFeAl–LDH modified by sodium dodecyl sulfate

“…1,2 Sixteen PAHs have been identified as priority pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency on account of their threat to health and the environment. 3 In recent years, many materials have been developed for the adsorption of PAHs, including layered double hydroxide (LDH), 4,5 activated carbon, 6,7 biochar, 8,9 graphene 10 and montmorillonite. 11…”

“…1,2 Sixteen PAHs have been identied as priority pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency on account of their threat to health and the environment. 3 In recent years, many materials have been developed for the adsorption of PAHs, including layered double hydroxide (LDH), 4,5 activated carbon, 6,7 biochar, 8,9 graphene 10 and montmorillonite. 11 Hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTLcs) are typical alkali metal adsorbents with a common type of layered material consisting of positively charged lamellae and exchangeable interlayer anions.…”

Mesoporous V‐TiO2 Catalysts with Crystalline Anatase‐Rutile Mixed Phases for Naphthalene Degradation

“…Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are chemical contaminants with two or more benzene rings mainly derived from the refining of coal tar and incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Naphthalene, the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is recognized as a typical environmental pollutant due to its toxicity, mutagenicity and potential carcinogenicity . Naphthalene has been listed as one of the sixteen preferentially controlled environmental pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and International Cancer Research (IARC) .…”