Nano CuO immobilized fly ash zeolite Fenton-like catalyst for oxidative degradation of p-nitrophenol and p-nitroaniline

Catalytic wet peroxide oxidative degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) and p-nitroaniline (PNA) in aqueous solution was studied using coal fly ash converted and nano CuO fringes incorporated zeolite X material (CuO/FAZ). CuO/FAZ was synthesized by ion exchange with Cu2+, and subsequent calcination of zeolite. The effect of various parameters such as CuO loading, H2O2 concentration, catalyst dosage, initial concentration of PNP or PNA and pH was investigated. Under the optimal condition (catalyst dose 500 mg/L, 20 ppm PNP and PNA, pH=6.5, 2 mL H2O2, room temperature) the% degradation of PNP and PNA was about 96 and 84 for 180 min reaction time respectively. The reaction intermediates were analyzed by HPLC-(-ESI)-TOF-MS spectroscopy whose result indicated the complete mineralization of PNP and PNA. Concludingly, nano CuO immobilization into FAZ and the synergic effect between them greatly improved the catalytic activity of CuO/FAZ. Hence CuO/FAZ emerged as a novel, stable, reusable heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst. Through wet catalytic degradation of PNP or PNA, this work not only provides environmental remediation solution to such toxic pollutants, but also to the solid pollutant coal fly ash through its conversion into an efficient zeolite catalyst. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.