Rapid removal of flutriafol in water by zero-valent iron powder

A study of the effect of zero-valent iron (ZVI) powder is carried out for the first time on the degradation of flutriafol ((RS)-2,4′-difluoro-α-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)-benzhydryl alcohol, C16H13F2N3O), a bifluorinated soil and water persistent triazole pesticide using a laboratory scale device consisting of a 20 ml pyrex serum vials fixed to a Vortex agitator. Different amounts of ZVI powder (10-50 g l−1) at pH 6.6 and room temperature were investigated. Experiments showed an observed degradation rate kobs directly proportional to the surface of contact of flutriafol with ZVI. Flutriafol degradation reactions demonstrated first order kinetic with a half-live of about 10.8 ± 0.5 min and 3.6 ± 0.2 min when experiments were conducted at [ZVI] = 10 g l−1 into oxygenated and anoxic solutions, respectively. Three analytical techniques were employed to monitor flutriafol degradation and to understand solution and by-products behaviors: (1) A UV-Vis spectrophotometer; (2) a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a photo diode array (PDA) and fluorescence detectors; (3) a similar HPLC coupled with a PDA and a mass spectrometer detectors equipped with an atmospheric pressure photoionization source. Results showed a complete disappearance of flutriafol after 20 min of contact with ZVI, the loss of fluorescence properties of the final by-products, the defluorination of the triazole pesticide via hydroxylation reaction and finally the hydrogenation of the triazole ring.