Mechanism for the oxidation of phenol by sulfatoferrate(VI): Comparison with various oxidants.

The oxidative action of a solid and stable potassium sulfatoferrate(VI) material on phenol was studied in aqueous solution under different stoichiometries. The performance towards phenol and the total organic carbon is compared to that of potassium permanganate and calcium hypochlorite. The total mineralization of phenol is not completely achieved by the studied chemical oxidants, and some oxidation products have been identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector analysis. A radical reaction pathway, involving the formation of oxidation intermediates or by-products such as benzoquinone, phenoxyphenol and ring opening products, is proposed for the decomposition of phenol by ferrate(VI). Phenoxyphenol is also involved in the oxidation mechanism for permanganate whereas chlorinated phenols are produced by hypochlorite. The role of the chloride anion impurity of the potassium sulfatoferrate(VI) material has been highlighted in this study; no negative impact on the removal of phenol and its mineralization is observed compared to the use of a pure commercial ferrate(VI). The efficiency of sulfatoferrate(VI) for the oxidative removal of phenol from industrial wastewater is also confirmed.