Removal of Tetrachloroethene in Water with Nano Pd/Fe Bimetal Immobilized in Alginate Beads

In this study, nZVI, nPd/Fe and nPd/Fe-B particles were synthesized and used to remove PCE in solution to investigate the effects of several parameters such as the types of metal particles and their mass concentration. From the elemental mapping images of energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), amorphous Fe and Pd were tightly integrated into the alginate matrix, which cannot be solely exfoliated from the whole composites. The results showed that the removal efficiency (r) and observed reaction rate constants (kobs) was the highest for nPd/Fe, followed by nPd/Fe-B and nZVI particles. Moreover, the larger the reductant dosage, the higher the r of PCE for nZVI, nPd/Fe, and nPd/Fe-B particles is. The pH in solution quickly raised from about 5-6 to 8-9 at the beginning of tests and then maintained at around 8-9 to the end of tests. The ORP in solutions descended to reductive state immediately at the beginning of tests and kept in the range between -730 and -770 mV to the end of tests indicating that the system maintained in a stable reductive state.