Degradations of 2,4-dichlorophenol and polychlorinated biphenyls with zero valent iron under subcritical conditions. Importance of subcritical water oxidation

The abiotic transformations of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been examined in the presence and of zero valent iron (Fe(0)) under subcritical conditions. It was found that the degradation of DCP was significantly enhanced, showing complete degradation of DCP in 3 h at 300 °C. Control experiments without Fe(0) indicated that the removal of DCP in the iron–water system was mostly due to subcritical water oxidation and that the enhancement of degradation in the presence of Fe(0) was less significant. Regardless of Fe(0), PCBs were rapidly decomposed, showing 93% destruction in 5 h at 300 °C. Product identification by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that the reductive transformation of DCP and PCBs w Fe(0) existed under subcritical conditions. Our results suggest that subcritical water degradation may be a possible remediation option to treat DCP and PCBs in water and soil.