Zerovalent iron (ZVI) has been most widely applied to permeable reactive barriers (PRB) to remediate contaminated groundwater. However, passive surface coating formation on Fe(0) core that ultimately deactivates ZVI has been identified as a limitation of the remediation approach.  In this contribution, we investigate the role of organic ligands, including thiols, catecholates, polycarboxylates, and electron shuttling compounds, for the enhancement of ZVI reactivity and longevity for the transformation of persistent nitro explosives (e.g., TNT and RDX). Although two electron transfer mechanisms are generally observed in reduction reactions involving ZVI, different RDX degradation mechanisms were observed in the presence of some classes of ligands.

Enhancement of RNIP reactivity and longevity with organic ligands for the transformation of persistent nitro explosives

245th National Meeting (2013)

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