Microwave-Enhanced Fenton-Like System, Fe₃O₄/H₂O₂ for Rhodamine B Wastewater Degradation

Fenton reactions have been increasingly applied to emergent pollutants degradation. Although homogeneous reaction by classical Fenton enables organic wastewater degradation, long treatment time and high iron catalyst concentrations are needed, raising environmental concerns. This paper proposed an innovative and cheap solution to degrade Rhodamine B (RmB) by combining magnetic nanomaterials of Fe3O4as the catalyst with microwave-enhanced fenton-like system. The main operational parameters were optimized systematically (hydrogen peroxide concentration; Fe3O4dosage; catalyst cycles; reaction time and reaction temperature). The degradation rate of Rhodamine B was increased and accelerated due to the assistance of microwave irradiation, with value of 99% after heated for only 5 min, even higher than that of treated by traditional Fenton process for 20 min. Moreover, six cyclic tests for Rhodamine B degradation showed that the magnetic catalyst was very stable, recoverable, highly active, and easy to separate using an external magnet. Hence, microwave-enhanced Fenton-like system with magnetic nanomaterials of Fe3O4as the catalyst has potential use in organic pollutant removal.