Study on degradation of nitrobenzene in groundwater using emulsified nano-zero-valent iron

Emulsified nano-zero-valent iron (EZVI) is a modified form of bare nanoiron with improved transportability and targetability for the remediation of organic-solvents polluted soil and groundwater. In this work, EZVI (50-150 nm) was prepared by coating an emulsified vegetable oil membrane on the surface of Fe nanoparticles. EZVI was well-dispersed and less aggregation was observed. Batch experiments were conducted in anaerobic conditions to investigate the kinetics of nitrobenzene reduction by EZVI and the influences of oil concentration, initial iron content, and initial pH. Results indicated that the kinetics of nitrobenzene reduction by EZVI followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics. The observed rate constant of nitrobenzene is 0.0942 min(-1). The oil concentration of 1 and 2 % tended to be preferred concentrations. The rate of nitrobenzene degradation and aniline formation increased with increasing iron content. The low pH is favorable to the nitrobenzene reduction by EZVI.