Reduction of benzo a pyrene with acid-activated magnesium metal in ethanol: A possible application for environmental remediation

    Authors

    M. R. Elie; C. A. Clausen;C. L. Geiger

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Hazard. Mater.

    Keywords

    Benzo[a]pyrene; Reduction; Magnesium; Ethanol; Polycyclic aromatic; hydrocarbons; POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS; CATALYTIC-HYDROGENATION; DNA-ADDUCTS; METABOLIC-ACTIVATION; GRIGNARD-REAGENTS; MILD CONDITIONS; METHANOL; MECHANISM; HALIDES; WATER; Engineering, Environmental; Engineering, Civil; Environmental Sciences

    Abstract

    Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a well-known threat to the environment. Substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated soils and sediments can have severe and long-term effects on human and environmental health. There is an urgent need for the development of safe technologies for their effective degradation. Here we present a new technique using ball-milled magnesium powder and ethanol solvent as a convenient electron transfer/proton source for the partial reduction of PAHs under ambient conditions. The rates of degradation were determined while evaluating the influences of acetic acid and type of ball-milled magnesium added to the reaction mixture. The results of these triplicate studies indicate that with the use of acetic acid as an activator and ball-milled magnesium carbon (Mg/C), this reducing system (Mg-EtOH) is able to achieve a 94% conversion of 250 mu g/mL of toxic benzo[a]pyrene into a mixture of less toxic and partially hydrogenated polycyclic compounds within 24 h. This methodology can be used as a combined process involving ethanol washing followed by reduction reaction and it can also be considered as an easy handling and efficient alternative process to the catalytic hydrogenation of PAHs. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Hazardous Materials

    Volume

    203

    Publication Date

    1-1-2013

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    77

    Last Page

    85

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000300204800010

    ISSN

    0304-3894

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