Rapid total destruction of chlorophenols by activated hydrogen peroxide.
A practical, inexpensive, green chemical process for degrading environmental pollutants is greatly needed, especially for persistent chlorinated pollutants. Here we describe the activation of hydrogen peroxide by tetraamidomacrocylic ligand (TAML) iron catalysts, to destroy the priority pollutants pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP). In water, in minutes, under ambient conditions of temperature and pressure, PCP and TCP are completely destroyed at catalyst:substrate ratios of 1:715 and 1:2000, respectively. The fate of about 90% of the carbon and about 99% of the chlorine has been determined in each case. Neither dioxins nor any other toxic compounds are detectable products, and the catalysts themselves show low toxicity.
Gupta
Sayam Sen
SS
Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Stadler
Matthew
M
Noser
Christopher A
CA
Ghosh
Anindya
A
Steinhoff
Bradley
B
Lenoir
Dieter
D
Horwitz
Colin P
CP
Schramm
Karl-Werner
KW
Collins
Terrence J
TJ
D002384:Catalysis; D017606:Chlorine Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D002733:Chlorophenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D004147:Dioxins / Q000737:chemistry; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000737:chemistry*; D011312:Pressure; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013696:Temperature
D017606:Chlorine Compounds; D002733:Chlorophenols; D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D010416:Pentachlorophenol; C024564:2,4,6-trichlorophenol