Effect of organic acid to enhance the oxidative power of the fenton-like system: Computational and empirical evidences

A Fenton-like system based on the combination of organic acid and hydrogen peroxide over an iron oxide surface was investigated. DFT calculations showed that HCOOH and H2O2 interact to produce the pair H2O2//HCOOH which leads to the formation of ∗OH more strongly than H2O2 alone, upon acceptance of a single electron. Empirical tests using H2O2 and HCOOH over iron oxides showed that Fe2+ contents and HCOOH enhance degradation of the reactive textile drimaren red dye in agreement with calculations.