Dechlorination of DDT, DDD and DDE in soil (slurry) phase using magnesium/palladium system

Mg0/Pd4+ was able to dechlorinate >99%>99% of extractable DDT (initial concentration of 10 mg DDT kg−1 of soil) and >90%>90% of extractable DDT (initial concentration of 50 mg DDT kg−1 of soil) in soil slurry. Mg0/Pd4+ was also found to be effective in dechlorinating of 50 mg kg−1 DDD and DDE, in soil aged for varying time periods. GC-MS analyses revealed the formation of 1,1-diphenylethane as an end product from DDT, DDE and DDD. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report describing the application Mg0/Pd4+ system for remediation of DDT, DDD and DDE contaminated soil. We conclude that reductive dechlorination reaction catalyzed by Mg0/Pd4+ may be a promising system to remediate soil contaminated with DDT and its dechlorinated products such as DDD and DDE.

DDT is dechlorinated to the hydrocarbon end product, diphenylethane (DPE) in soil by Mg0/Pd4+ bimetallic system using acetone-biosurfactant as the solubilizing phase. Molecular hydrogen generated through corrosion of Mg0 is dissociatively absorbed onto reducing catalyst, palladium (doped on the surface of magnesium) to produce the nascent hydrogen, which in turn dechlorinates the target compound.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide