p-Hydroxybenzoic acid degradation by Fe/Pd-HNT catalysts with in situ generated hydrogen peroxide

Pd- and Fe/Pd-HNT were elaborated by successive ionic exchange and wet impregnation at room temperature of hydrogenotitanate nanotubes (HNT) nanomaterials. Hydrogen peroxide was generated in situ via reaction of oxygen and formic acid (FA) over Fe/Pd-HNT catalysts. A high p-hydroxybenzoic acid (p-HBz) mineralization was achieved (52%) using Fe/Pd-HNT/FA/O2/UV system compared to the simulated reaction using Fe/Pd-HNT/H2O2/UV system (34%). The rate of hydrogen peroxide formation over Pd-HNT catalyst, during in situ generation, probably plays a key role in controlling the kinetics of the p-HBz degradation.