Removal of phthalate from papermaking wastewater by MIL-101(Fe) in the presence of persulfate

Phthalates are found in most papermaking wastewater, as are various other pollutants. Phthalates such as diethyl phthalate (DEP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) are endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). The objective of this research was to use metal organic frameworks (MOFs) MIL-101(Fe) as a new-style adsorbing material and persulfate (PS) activator for removing DEP and DBP from artificial aqueous model solutions. We used X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technologies to characterize the MIL-101(Fe). More than 80% of the DEP and DBP were removed with a MIL-101(Fe)/PS system over a 5 h period when the initial concentrations of the pollutants (DEP or DBP) were around 3 ppm. MIL-101(Fe) was able to absorb the pollutants and activate persulfate, which together contributed to phthalate removal. As the amount of MIL-101 and PS was increased, the percentage of removed phthalate increased gradually. We concluded that the MIL-101(Fe)/PSsystem removed phthalate effectively from papermaking wastewater.