Cleaner water using bimetallic nanoparticle catalysts

Abstract

Groundwater contaminated by hazardous chlorinated compounds, especially chlorinated ethenes, continues to be a significant environmental problem in industrialized nations. The conventional treatment methods of activated carbon adsorption and air-stripping successfully remove these compounds by way of transferring them from the water phase into the solid or gas phase. Catalysis is a promising approach to remove chlorinated compounds completely from the environment, by converting them into safer, non-chlorinated compounds. Palladium-based materials have been shown to be very effective as hydrodechlorination catalysts for the removal of chlorinated ethenes and other related compounds. However, relatively low catalytic activity and a propensity for deactivation are significant issues that prevent their widespread use in groundwater remediation. Palladium-on-gold bimetallic nanoparticles, in contrast, were recently discovered to exhibit superior catalyst activity and improved deactivation resistance. This new type of material is a significant next-step in the development of a viable hydrodechlorination catalysis technology. (C) 2008 Society of Chemical Industry