Control of Organic Micropollutants Using Dual Functional Adsorbent/Catalyst System

This study focuses on the development of novel catalysts for simultaneous adsorption and oxidation of micropollutants in aqueous phase. Molecular catalysts were physically immobilized on the surface or pore of amberlite IRA-400 or powdered activated carbon (PAC). Comparison of different combinations of catalysts and adsorbents showed that the Fe(III)-TsPc combined with amberlite had the highest removal efficiency for target compounds. Although the catalyst was immobilized by electrical attraction, no dissociation of catalyst from adsorbent occurred during the tests. Amberlite-supported Fe(III)-TsPc shows more than 98% removal efficiency in 40 min. In homogenous system (suspension of Fe(III)-TsPc in aqueous solution), the oxidation reaction occurred only in acidic conditions (pH ~ 4.5) and the catalyst deactivation rate was fast. On the contrary, the reaction was fast in neutral pH and catalytic deactivation was negligible using the amberlite-supported Fe(III)-TsPc.