Activation of Persulfate by Quinones: Free Radical Reactions and Implication for the Degradation of PCBs

There has been considerable interest in the use of persulfate for in situ chemical oxidation of organic contaminants in soils, sediments, and groundwater. Since humic acid (HA) exists ubiquitously in these environmental compartments, its redox active functional moieties, such as quinones, may play an important role in the oxidation processes of persulfate treatments. Understanding the effects of HA, especially the quinone functional groups on the degradation of pollutants by persulfate and the production of sulfate radicals (SO4(•-)) from persulfate, is beneficial for devising effective and economically feasible remediation strategies. In this study, the effects of model quinone compounds and HA on the…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China