ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Chemical Reduction of Nitrate Using Nanoscale
Bimetallic Iron/Copper Particles
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School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology
and Ecology in Arid Areas of Education Ministry, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
Submission date: 2017-08-07
Final revision date: 2017-10-06
Acceptance date: 2017-10-09
Online publication date: 2018-04-13
Publication date: 2018-05-30
Corresponding author
Jifeng Guo
Chang'an University, 126 Yanta Road, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Changan University, 710054 Xian, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2018;27(5):2023-2028
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ABSTRACT
Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) as an effective material has been applied to reduce nitrate.
Yet NZVI has defects of aggregation and oxidation. To overcome these disadvantages, nanoscale
bimetallic iron/copper particles were introduced to reduce nitrate in this work. In this paper, nanoscale
bimetallic Fe/Cu particles were prepared by the liquid phase chemical reduction method; the particles
were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of
prepared particles was evaluated by reducing synthetic nitrate wastewater, and batch experiments were
conducted to investigate the effect of initial nitrate concentration and various Cu loading on nitrate
reduction by nanoscale bimetallic Fe/Cu particles. The results indicated that nitrate could be completely
removed in 20 min reaction by nanoscale bimetallic Fe/Cu particles when Cu loading was 5% and initial
nitrate concentration was 80 mg/L. As a result, the nitrate in wastewater was converted into ammonium
and nitrogen gas, with nitrite as an intermediate by-product.