Improved Affinity of Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron toward Hydrophobic Organic Solvent using Poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate)

Objectives : Levels of organic contaminants in excess of the standard minimum have been detected in many commercial and residential sites, and the severity of soil and groundwater pollution is increasing. In particular, non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) are hydrophobic organic pollutants that do not mix with water and are difficult to remove with existing soil remediation technology. These pollutants slowly dissolve into the groundwater over long periods of time, thus contaminating the groundwater. With the increasing need to remove NAPLs for soil and groundwater remediation, widespread interest has focused on the use of nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI). However, nZVI has the disadvantage of reduced subsurface mobility. Hence, in the present study, the nZVI surface is modified with poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (PVP/VA), which has both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, to improve the mobility and selectivity of nZVI for the removal of NAPL.Methods : The PVP/VA modified nZVI is synthesized through the reaction of FeSO4･7H2O and NaBH4 in the presence of PVP/VA. To confirm the dispersibility of the prepared material, a precipitation experiment is performed using a visible light spectrometer, and the mobility through a sand-filled column is evaluated. In addition, the variation in particle size and characteristics according to the presence of PVP/VA is examined via transmission electron microscopy. The nitrate reduction ability of nZVI with PVP/VA is also evaluated to reveal changes in reactivity depending upon the degree of dispersion. To confirm the selective mobility towards NAPL, trichloroethylene and dodecane are used to evaluate the mobility with and without PVP/VA. Finally, the ratio of nZVI passing through the sponge layer absorbing dodecane is evaluated to determine the selective mobility towards NAPL in the porous medium.Results and Discussion : Although the dispersibility of the PVP/VA-nZVI is not significantly changed, the particle size is significantly decreased. Both the mobility in porous media and the nitrate reduction rate are improved via PVP/VA modification. The affinity for hydrophobic contaminants and the selective migration of PVP/VA-nZVI towards the NAPL layer are also improved. The high affinity for the NAPL was also shown by the column with NAPL layer.Conclusions : Surface-modification with PVP/VA, which has both hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends, enabled the synthesis of nZVI with a smaller and more uniform particle size, thus providing high mobility in porous media and high reactivity towards contaminants. The combined hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of PVP/VA is shown to increase the affinity of nZVI towards NAPL and, thus, promote its migration to the NAPL layer. Thus, it is anticipated that the efficiency of soil remediation can be improved by promoting the movement of nZVI towards the target NAPL layer.