Enhanced Cr(VI) removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation:Comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidation

This study examines the effects of biogenic sulfidation and chemical sulfidation on the reactivity of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) for the removal of carcinogenic hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). Biogenic sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (BS-nZVI) was synthesised by culturing nZVI with sulphate...

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Main Authors: Yanni Xi, Zheng Peng, Zhuang Zhang, Zhu Su, Yicai Huang, Xin Li, Xingzhong Yuan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-12-01
Series:Cleaner Chemical Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772782325000397
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author Yanni Xi
Zheng Peng
Zhuang Zhang
Zhu Su
Yicai Huang
Xin Li
Xingzhong Yuan
author_facet Yanni Xi
Zheng Peng
Zhuang Zhang
Zhu Su
Yicai Huang
Xin Li
Xingzhong Yuan
author_sort Yanni Xi
collection DOAJ
description This study examines the effects of biogenic sulfidation and chemical sulfidation on the reactivity of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) for the removal of carcinogenic hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). Biogenic sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (BS-nZVI) was synthesised by culturing nZVI with sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), while chemically synthesised sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (CS-nZVI) was produced using a Na2S solution. Characterisation results indicated that both BS-nZVI and CS-nZVI were coated with FeSx, with BS-nZVI additionally covered by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by the SRB. Both BS-nZVI and CS-nZVI exhibited significantly higher Cr(VI) removal efficiencies compared to nZVI, with values of 18.91 mg/g and 18.80 mg/g, respectively, versus 0.095 mg/g for nZVI. These improvements are attributed to the enhanced electron transfer properties of FeSx. In cyclic “sulfidation-Cr(VI) removal” experiments, biogenic sulfidation was found to be more effective than chemical sulfidation in enhancing and reactivating the Cr(VI) removal capacity of nZVI. The EPS associated with S-nZVI provided additional binding sites for co-precipitation of Cr(III)-Fe(III) during Cr(VI) removal, resulting in the formation of a loosely structured Cr(III)-Fe(III)-EPS co-precipitate. This co-precipitate mitigated the hindering caused by dense Cr(III)-Fe(III) passivation layers on electron transfer during Cr(VI) removal and cyclic sulfidation, in contrast to CS-nZVI. This study elucidates the synergistic effects of the coupled SRB-ZVI system for Cr(VI) remediation.
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issn 2772-7823
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spelling doaj-art-35145728baf04407aea45e09efa6f2fb2025-08-20T03:45:44ZengElsevierCleaner Chemical Engineering2772-78232025-12-011110018410.1016/j.clce.2025.100184Enhanced Cr(VI) removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation:Comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidationYanni Xi0Zheng Peng1Zhuang Zhang2Zhu Su3Yicai Huang4Xin Li5Xingzhong Yuan6Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control Technology, Hunan Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Changsha 410002, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Monitoring for Heavy Metal Pollutants, Changsha 410014, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Monitoring for Heavy Metal Pollutants, Changsha 410014, PR China; Corresponding author at: College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, PR China.Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR ChinaThis study examines the effects of biogenic sulfidation and chemical sulfidation on the reactivity of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) for the removal of carcinogenic hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). Biogenic sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (BS-nZVI) was synthesised by culturing nZVI with sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), while chemically synthesised sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (CS-nZVI) was produced using a Na2S solution. Characterisation results indicated that both BS-nZVI and CS-nZVI were coated with FeSx, with BS-nZVI additionally covered by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by the SRB. Both BS-nZVI and CS-nZVI exhibited significantly higher Cr(VI) removal efficiencies compared to nZVI, with values of 18.91 mg/g and 18.80 mg/g, respectively, versus 0.095 mg/g for nZVI. These improvements are attributed to the enhanced electron transfer properties of FeSx. In cyclic “sulfidation-Cr(VI) removal” experiments, biogenic sulfidation was found to be more effective than chemical sulfidation in enhancing and reactivating the Cr(VI) removal capacity of nZVI. The EPS associated with S-nZVI provided additional binding sites for co-precipitation of Cr(III)-Fe(III) during Cr(VI) removal, resulting in the formation of a loosely structured Cr(III)-Fe(III)-EPS co-precipitate. This co-precipitate mitigated the hindering caused by dense Cr(III)-Fe(III) passivation layers on electron transfer during Cr(VI) removal and cyclic sulfidation, in contrast to CS-nZVI. This study elucidates the synergistic effects of the coupled SRB-ZVI system for Cr(VI) remediation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772782325000397Biogenic sulfidationSulphate-reducing bacteriaZerovalent ionExtracellular polymeric substancesChromium
spellingShingle Yanni Xi
Zheng Peng
Zhuang Zhang
Zhu Su
Yicai Huang
Xin Li
Xingzhong Yuan
Enhanced Cr(VI) removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation:Comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidation
Cleaner Chemical Engineering
Biogenic sulfidation
Sulphate-reducing bacteria
Zerovalent ion
Extracellular polymeric substances
Chromium
title Enhanced Cr(VI) removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation:Comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidation
title_full Enhanced Cr(VI) removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation:Comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidation
title_fullStr Enhanced Cr(VI) removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation:Comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidation
title_full_unstemmed Enhanced Cr(VI) removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation:Comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidation
title_short Enhanced Cr(VI) removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation:Comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidation
title_sort enhanced cr vi removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron through biogenic sulfidation comparison against corresponding chemical sulfidation
topic Biogenic sulfidation
Sulphate-reducing bacteria
Zerovalent ion
Extracellular polymeric substances
Chromium
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772782325000397
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AT zhuangzhang enhancedcrviremovalbynanoscalezerovalentironthroughbiogenicsulfidationcomparisonagainstcorrespondingchemicalsulfidation
AT zhusu enhancedcrviremovalbynanoscalezerovalentironthroughbiogenicsulfidationcomparisonagainstcorrespondingchemicalsulfidation
AT yicaihuang enhancedcrviremovalbynanoscalezerovalentironthroughbiogenicsulfidationcomparisonagainstcorrespondingchemicalsulfidation
AT xinli enhancedcrviremovalbynanoscalezerovalentironthroughbiogenicsulfidationcomparisonagainstcorrespondingchemicalsulfidation
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