Discoloration of Methyl Orange in the Presence of Schorl and H2O2: Kinetics and Mechanism

Kinetics and mechanism on discoloration of an azo dye, methyl orange (MO), by heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction using natural schorl as catalyst were investigated in this study. Among the three kinetic models (the first-order, the second-order, and the Behnajady-Modirshahla-Ghanbery (BMG)), the BMG kinetic model was the best one to describe MO discoloration at different reaction conditions, due to its highest determination coefficients. The BMG model parameter, 1/m, increased with initial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration, and schorl dosage and reaction temperature increased while the pH solution decreased. The phenomenon indicated that the initial MO discoloration rate increased with the ascending of the initial H2O2 concentration, schorl dosage, and reaction temperature and the descending of the pH solution. Meanwhile, another BMG parameter, 1/b, except for the one at pH=5, were all around 1, implying that the schorl-catalyzed Fenton-like reaction had high capacity for MO discoloration. The possible reason for these phenomena was interpreted from the point of view of OH generation and Fe dissolution. Generally speaking, the amount of hydroxyl radicals increased with initial H2O2 concentration, increased schorl dosage and reaction temperature, and decreased pH solution, playing an important role in the change of 1/m values. The concentration of soluble iron ions at all adopted experimental conditions ranged from 0.23 to 1.14 mg/L, much lower than the European Union directive (2 mg/L), which demonstrated that natural schorl would be a promising heterogeneous catalyst for the Fenton-like reaction. Finally, a possible mechanism for this process was put forward.