Removal of Toxic Organic Micropollutants with FeTsPc-Immobilized Amberlite/H2O2: Effect of Physicochemical Properties of Toxic Chemicals

Abstract

The effect of physicochemical properties of organic micropollutants on removal efficiencies over iron-tetrasulfophthalocyanine (FeTsPc)-immobilized Amberlite was investigated with one endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC), bisphenol-A (BPA), and three pharmaceutically active chemicals (PhACs), cefaclor, diclofenac, and ibuprofen. The electrical charge of each chemical was the most important factor in overall removal efficiency. Hydrophilicity was the second most important factor. Negatively charged diclofenac and ibuprofen were completely removed at the reaction pH of 7.5 in less than 1 hour in the absence of H2O2. The FeTsPc-immobilized Amberlite catalyst accelerated BPA and cefaclor removal in the presence of H2O2 at pH 7.5. For BPA, catalytic oxidation accounted for at least 35% of total removal. The stability of FeTsPc was greatly improved by immobilizing it on Amberlite compared to that of the homogeneous FeTsPc in an aqueous solution.