Activation of Peroxymonosulfate Using Secondary Pyrolysis Oil-Based Drilling Cuttings Ash for Pollutant Removal

[Image: see text] In this study, the utilization of secondary pyrolysis oil-based drilling cuttings ash (OBDCA-sp) to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for pollutant removal was investigated. The chemical and physical properties of OBDCA-sp were explicitly analyzed via multiple characterization. The activation efficiency of OBDCA-sp for PMS was tested using humic acid (HA) as the target pollutant. 92% of HA and 52% of total organic carbon in solution could be removed using OBDCA-sp-activated PMS under optimal conditions: OBDCA-sp dosage at 4 g/L, PMS concentration at 4 mmol/L, HA concentration at 10 mg/L, and pH value at 7. After four cycles, 84% removal rate of HA could still be achieved using OBDCA-sp to activate PMS. The main catalysis elements for PMS activation in OBDCA were postulated to be Fe(III), Co(III), and Mn(III), based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction results. The results of the quenching experiment indicated that SO(4)(•–), (•)OH, and (1)O(2) were the main reactive oxygen species (ROS) and that (1)O(2) was the dominant ROS in the HA removal process. Radical trapping experiments indicated the presence of SO(4)(•–), (•)OH, and (1)O(2) in the reaction system. This study presented a novel utilization path of OBDCA in the field of environmental remediation.