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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Environ. Eng.
Sec. Water, Waste and Wastewater Engineering
Volume 3 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fenve.2024.1516999
This article is part of the Research Topic Enhancing Coastal Resilience: Efficacy of Nature-Based Solutions in Marine Conservation View all articles

Organic Iron at Ultralow Doses Catalyzes Hydrogen Peroxide to Eliminate Cyanobacterial Blooms: A Study on Algicidal Effects and Mechanisms Under Natural Conditions

Provisionally accepted
Yongdong Lin Yongdong Lin 1Ziru Niu Ziru Niu 2Juan Li Juan Li 2Sijin Li Sijin Li 3Hai Li Hai Li 4Lei Li Lei Li 1*
  • 1 Kweichow Moutai Winery (Group) Health Wine Co., LTD, Zunyi, China
  • 2 Shaanxi Provincial Land Engineering Construction Group Co., Ltd., Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
  • 3 Shool of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
  • 4 China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Second Construction Engineering Co., Ltd, Wuhan, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is gaining recognition as an eco-friendly and highly effective algicide for combating cyanobacterial blooms. This study investigates the algicidal potential of H 2 O 2 catalyzed by both inorganic and organic iron. Our findings indicate that inorganic iron (FeSO 4 ) shows minimal catalytic activity on H 2 O 2 under varying light conditions. In contrast, organic iron, specifically the combination of H 2 O 2 , EDTANaFe, and light irradiation, demonstrates significant algicidal effects. The optimal dosages were identified as 10 mg/L for H 2 O 2 and 3 mg/L for Fe 3+ .The limited efficacy of inorganic iron stems from the transformation of Fe 2+ to Fe 3+ ions via the Fenton reaction. Under neutral conditions, Fe 3+ ions precipitate as large-sized goethite, which adheres to the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of cyanobacterial cells, thereby hindering H 2 O 2 catalysis and hydroxyl radical (• OH) formation in natural waters. Conversely, the combination of light radiation and organic iron salts greatly enhances the algicidal efficiency of H 2 O 2 . This synergy accelerates H 2 O 2 decomposition and facilitates the production of a substantial amount of • OH radicals by altering the Gibbs free energy. Thus, bright and sunny conditions, particularly in the afternoon, are crucial for effectively combating cyanobacterial blooms using Fenton-like reagents.The methodology presented in this study offers a viable solution to global cyanobacteria bloom issues and elucidates the mechanisms driving its efficacy.

    Keywords: Fenton-like regent, Organic iron, Free radical, Cyanobacterial bloom, EDTANaFe

    Received: 25 Oct 2024; Accepted: 09 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Lin, Niu, Li, Li, Li and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Lei Li, Kweichow Moutai Winery (Group) Health Wine Co., LTD, Zunyi, China

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