title: Degradation of carbon tetrachloride by modified Fenton's reagent.
abstract: The degradation of tetrachloromethane (carbon tetrachloride-CT) by modified Fenton's reagent (catalyzed hydrogen peroxide) was investigated using a range of hydrogen peroxide concentrations and 1 mM iron(III) catalyst. The documented reactive species in modified Fenton's reactions, hydroxyl radical (OH*), is not reactive with CT, yet CT degradation was observed in the Fenton's reactions and was confirmed by chloride generation. Because CT is not reactive with OH*, a reductive mechanism which may involve superoxide radical anion is proposed for CT degradation in modified Fenton's systems. Scavenging of reductants by excess chloroform prevented CT degradation, confirming a reductive mechanism. Similar to CT, three other oxidized aliphatic compounds, hexachloroethane, bromotrichloromethane, and tetranitromethane, were also degraded by modified Fenton's reagent. The results show that modified Fenton's reactions act through a reductive mechanism to degrade compounds that are not reactive with OH*, which broadens the scope of this process for hazardous waste treatment and remediation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2910, USA.
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Teel
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Watts
mesh_terms: D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000737:chemistry*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D016877:Oxidants / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: C045076:Fenton's reagent; D016877:Oxidants; D012997:Solvents; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D007501:Iron