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Utilization of iron sulfides for wastewater treatment: a critical review

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Abstract

Acid mine drainage due to weathering of iron sulfide minerals is one of the biggest global environmental issues. However, due to the unique physicochemical properties of natural and synthesized iron sulfides (i.e. pyrite, pyrrhotite, and mackinawite), they can be effectively used for wastewater treatment. These properties, such as ≡SH functional groups as Lewis bases, reducibility of surface Fe and S species, dissolved Fe2+ as a catalyst, and dissolved S2− as an electron donor, are extensively reviewed in this article. The target water pollutants include toxic metals (i.e. lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium) and metalloid (i.e. arsenic), radionuclides (i.e. uranium and selenium), organic contaminants (i.e. chlorinated organic pollutants, benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), and nutrients (i.e. nitrogen and phosphorus). The dominant interaction mechanisms between iron sulfides and these contaminants, and the removal efficiencies are elucidated. This article focuses on the role of iron sulfides as functional materials for wastewater treatment. A recent development of nanostructured pyrrhotite with a high specific surface area for wastewater treatment is also highlighted.

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Fig. 1

(adapted from Oturan et al. 2008)

Fig. 2
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Abbreviations

AMD:

Acid mine drainage

BET:

Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller

HRT:

Hydraulic retention time

PADB:

Pyrrhotite autotrophic denitrification biofilter

PAH:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

SRB:

Sulfate reducing bacteria

SSA:

Specific surface area

XANES:

X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy

EXAFS:

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure

NaCl:

Sodium chloride

Na2S:

Sodium sulfide

NiAs:

Nickel arsenic

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by NSF of China (41130206, 41072035, and 41402029) and the China Scholarship Council (Grant No. 201306690001). The authors are thankful for the networking opportunities provided by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Actions 1205 and 1302.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment and Energy Engineering, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei, 230601, China

    Yan Yang

  2. Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Yan Yang, Mukherjee Sumona & Xinmin Zhan

  3. Laboratory for Nanomineralogy and Environmental Material, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China

    Tianhu Chen

  4. School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, Scotland, UK

    Bhaskar Sen Gupta

  5. Institute of Plasma Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China

    Yubin Sun

  6. Institute of Water Treatment and Wastes Reutilization, School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China

    Zhenhu Hu

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  1. Yan Yang
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  2. Tianhu Chen
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  3. Mukherjee Sumona
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  7. Xinmin Zhan
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Correspondence to Xinmin Zhan.

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Yang, Y., Chen, T., Sumona, M. et al. Utilization of iron sulfides for wastewater treatment: a critical review. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 16, 289–308 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-017-9432-3

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