Abstract
DDT—1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane—is a pesticide that has been widely used to control insects in agriculture. TCP—2,4,6-trichlorophenol—has been used in pesticide formulations as a preservative, disinfectant and antiseptic. Detoxification of DDT and TCP is very difficult due to their stable chemical structure. Here, a mixture of NaBH4 and Devarda alloy was applied for the first time to detoxify DDT and TCP. Results show 94 % dechlorination of DDT at 100 °C and 97 % dechlorination of TCP at 80 °C. The presence of diphenyl ethane suggests the complete dechlorination of DDT. The formation of benzene suggests a strong reduction. The method is efficient, cost-effective and may be applied at the industrial-level.
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Acknowledgments
The present work was supported by TWAS Research Project Grant No. 10-201 RG/EAS/AS_C UNESCO FR: 3240246296 entitled “Identification/remediation of organic pollutants in sediment and waste water and reuse of wastewater in Pakistan.” The authors are highly thankful for this support.
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Ghaffar, A., Tabata, M., Mashiatullah, A. et al. Efficient DDT and trichlorophenol detoxification using NaBH4 and Devarda alloy. Environ Chem Lett 11, 197–202 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-012-0397-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-012-0397-8