CEE Seminar: A Green Production Process of Nano-size Zero Valent Iron (nZVI) for Contaminant Removal

Abstract: nZVI has been intensively studied for contaminant removal due to high reactivity, specific area and reducing ability. Chemical reduction using NaBH4 reductant is the most cited method for nZVI production by researchers. However, the method scores low sustainability index value by life cycle analysis.

In this study, we propose an electrochemical nZVI production process for nitrate removal, investigating the effects of current intensity, voltage, pH, etc. on the conversion rate and current efficiency of nZVI production. We have shown that the cost of electrochemical nZVI production is 18 times less than that of the traditional NaBH4 reduction process.

Bio: Chi-Wang Li received his doctorate in environmental engineering from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1998. He currently serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Applied Science and Engineering and as an associated editor and guest editor for several SCI journals. He is currently a professor at the Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering at Tamkang University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. His main area of research interest is to integrate various physical and chemical processes to achieve cost-effective processes for water and wastewater treatment.