Molecular Oxygen Activation by Fe^II/IIIEDTA as a Form of Green Oxidation Chemistry

5.7. Conclusion

The uniqueness of the ZEA system in comparison to other advanced oxidation systems is its ability to activate oxygen at room temperature and pressure without the aid of expensive catalysts and solvents or costly energy requirements. The ZEA system is capable of degrading the phosphorus-sulfur groups present in malathion, as well as cleaving aromatic rings in chlorinated phenols to carbonates, and simple carboxylates in a one-step process eliminating the need for secondary oxidation processes. This characteristic, combined with inexpensive and stable reagents, establishes the ZEA system as a strong possibility as a field portable remediation system.

Contribution from Christina Noradoun and I. Francis Cheng, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844-2343.