Rapid and selective oxidation of refractory sulfur-containing micropollutants in water using Fe-TAML/H2O2

Developments of Fe-TAML/H2O2 systems were conducted for the removal of refractory organic micropollutants in water. Herein, we investigated degradation of 68 structurally diverse sulfur-containing micropollutants (ng/L-mu g/L) in water by Fe-TAML/H2O2, and developed predictive models of the reactivity of Fe-TAML/H2O2 using micropollutant, Fe-TAML and H2O2 data. The micropollutants were usually degraded rapidly in water within 20 min, and the k(obs) values (0.0054 to > 0.47 min(-1)) drastically varied with compounds and/or solution pH. Static complexation and electron transfer between Fe-TAML and compounds were proposed for the high reactivity and selectivity of Fe-TAML/H2O2 toward micropollutant over naturally occurring dissolved organic matter (DOM). The mechanism-based reaction models of Fe-TAML/H2O2 were well extrapolated to large diversities of organic compounds and various types of water. This study indicates that Fe-TAML/H2O2 systems may provide a technical basis for the removal of micropollutants in water, despite the presence of high levels of natural water components.