Since the first attempts to add hydrogen peroxide to contaminated aquifers, it has been evident that iron and manganese oxides are capable of converting oxidants into transients that degrade organic contaminants.  Previous efforts to elucidate the pathways through which these reactions occur indicated that most of the hydrogen peroxide consumed did not result in oxidation of contaminants (i.e., oxidant yields were below 5%).  In contrast, attempts to use minerals to activate persulfate demonstrate nearly stoichiometric conversion to sulfate radical and other species capable of oxidizing aromatic compounds.  Furthermore, radical chain reactions that occur in the presence of benzene enhance the rate of persulfate activation.  The slow kinetics of persulfate activation and the formation of several types of reactive species may create an opportunity to use in situ chemical oxidation to treat dilute plumes of contaminants as well as species that are difficult to remediate by other means.

Making the radical seem simple: Mineral-catalyzed activation of oxidants for subsurface remediation

248th National Meeting (2014)

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