Efficient removal of atrazine by phosphorylated nano zero-valent iron activated persulfate process: Performance, reaction mechanism and degradation pathway

Jun Lin

doi:10.1016/j.psep.2026.109208

Efficient removal of atrazine by phosphorylated nano zero-valent iron activated persulfate process: Performance, reaction mechanism and degradation pathway

2026-06-27

0

PRE

AI

J

Jun Lin

M

Menghua Cao *

G

Guohong Qiu

H

Hengliang Huang

T

Tianying Wan

涂

涂书新 (Shuxin Tu)

S

Shuanglian Xiong

M

Mingming Zheng

DOI：10.1016/j.psep.2026.109208

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Abstract

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Atrazine (ATZ) is a typical refractory herbicide that imposes potential hazards to aquatic environment and public health. Persulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are promising for ATZ degradation, but conventional nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) activators suffer from agglomeration, facile surface oxidation, and poor stability, which greatly limits its practical engineering applications. In this study, phosphorylated nZVI (P-nZVI) was synthesized via a facile modification route and employed to activate sodium persulfate (PDS) for efficient ATZ abatement. Characterization results showed that phosphorylation effectively refined the particle structure, increased specific surface area by 164.2%, and enhanced anti-oxidation and dispersion stability. The P-nZVI/PDS system achieved 98% ATZ degradation within 60 min and 93.8% TOC removal within 240 min, with a kinetic rate constant 2.75 times higher than the unmodified nZVI system. Mechanism studies confirmed that P-nZVI promoted interfacial electron transfer and Fe2 +/Fe3+ cycling, enabling selective and sustained generation of sulfate radicals (SO4•-) as the primary reactive species. ATZ was degraded through hydroxylation, dealkylation, and dechlorination pathways with reduced intermediate toxicity. Furthermore, P-nZVI exhibited excellent reusability (over 75% efficiency after three cycles) and long-term stability (relatively low activity loss after 30-day air exposure), exhibiting favorable performance for safe and sustainable water treatment at the laboratory scale. This study provides a feasible and efficient modification strategy for nZVI-based catalysts and a reliable AOP for treating atrazine-containing wastewater in environmental protection engineering.

Keywords:

Persulfate activation

Phosphorylated nano zero-valent iron

Atrazine

Degradation mechanism

Water treatment

Efficient removal of atrazine by phosphorylated nano zero-valent iron activated persulfate process: Performance, reaction mechanism and degradation pathway

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