Metal Foam-Based Fenton-Like Process by Aeration

Abstract

A novel metal foam-based Fenton-like process for wastewater treatment is illustrated in this study. In the system, H2O2 was generated in situ by taking advantage of O2 in air, as metal could activate dissolved O2 to produce •O2- and then generate H2O2. Furthermore, metal foam can enhance the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycling, which eventually improved the efficiency of the Fenton process. The performance of the novel Fenton-like process was assessed by methyl blue (MB), and 94% MB removal could be achieved within 5 min in nickel (Ni) foam system. The degradation of MB in this study was based on both •OH and •O2- radicals, where •O2- radical served as the precursor to generate •OH for MB degradation through a Fenton process. The pH value of 3 with the initial Fe2+ concentration of 0.25 mM was found to be the optimum condition for the Fenton-like process. This study provides a general and new strategy for efficient wastewater treatment just using aeration and metal foams (such as Ni, Al, and Cu foams), which also offers a good alternative for rational design and application of traditional Fenton process.