Oxidation of 4–chloro–3–methylphenol using zeolite Y–encapsulated iron(III)–, nickel(II)–, and copper(II)–N,N‘-disalicylidene-1, 2-phenylenediamine complexes

The degradation of 4-chloro-3-methylphenol (PCMC) using zeolite-encapsulated iron(III), nickel(II), and copper(II) complexes of N,N‘-disalicylidene-1,2-phenylenediamine as catalysts, in a heterogeneous Fenton-like advanced oxidation process, was studied. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were determined using powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of four factors, namely initial H2O2 concentration, catalyst dosage, temperature, and pH, on the degradation of a model organic pollutant were determined. The results show that at low acidic pH, almost complete removal of PCMC was achieved with the iron(III), nickel(II), and copper(II) catalysts after 120 min under the optimum reaction conditions: catalyst dosage 0.1 g, H2O2 concentration 75 mmol/L, initial PCMC concentration 0.35 mmol/L, and 50 °C. The reusability of the prepared catalysts in PCMC degradation was also studied and a possible catalyst deactivation mechanism is proposed. The possible intermediate products, degradation pathway, and kinetics of PCMC oxidation were also studied.

Iron(III), nickel(II) and copper(II)-N,N‘-disalicylidene-1,2-phenylenediamine complex is successfully encapsulated through ship-in-a-bottle method into zeolite Y supercage. Zeolite encapsulated metal complexes show good catalytic efficiency towards degerdation of 4-chloro-3-methyl phenol.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide