Prussian-blue-modified iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles as effective peroxidase-like catalysts to degrade methylene blue with H2O2

Prussian-blue (PB)-modified gamma-Fe2O3 magnetic nanoparticles (PBMNPs) were successfully synthesized based on electric interactions between negatively charged [Fe(CN)(6)](4-) and positively charged gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The in situ PB coating was generated by the coordinating reaction between the adsorbed [Fe(CN)(6)](4-) and the ferric ions on the surface of gamma-Fe2O3 NPs. The as-prepared PBMNPs were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, TEM, and used to remove organic pollutants from aqueous solution, namely, using methylene blue (MB) as model compound. The experimental results showed that the target compound could be removed efficiently from solution over a wide pH range from 3 to 10 in the presence of PBMNPs as peroxidase-like catalyst and H2O2 as oxidant. Under optimal conditions, MB could be removed completely after 120 min of reaction at 298 K; the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency and the total organic carbon (TOC) abatement efficiency were 53.6% and 35%, respectively. Furthermore, the PBMNPs catalysts showed high magnetization, temperature tolerance, long-term storage and operational stability, and they could be readily separated from solution by applying an external magnetic field. Finally, a possible reaction mechanism for MB degradation was also discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.