Real-time detection of hydrogen peroxide using microelectrodes in an ultrasonic enhanced heterogeneous Fenton process catalyzed by ferrocene.

Microelectrodes were used for real-time detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a heterogeneous sono-Fenton system with ferrocene as the catalyst. The working mechanism of reactive blue 13 decolorization in a heterogeneous sono-Fenton system was investigated. Ultrasonic irradiation showed no effect on decolorization when used alone and did not enhance decolorization in the H2O2 system (43.0 % for H2O2 vs. 48.1 % for US+H2O2). However, a system with the presence of Fenton-like reagents achieved complete decolorization. Decolorization was greatly accelerated by the addition of ultrasonic irradiation. Thorough decolorization was achieved in 20 min in the heterogeneous sono-Fenton system, which was 30 min faster than in the heterogeneous Fenton system. Based on the data collected by microelectrodes, accelerated decomposition of H2O2 was also observed. Ultrasonic irradiation aided the ferrocene catalyst in liberating more •OH from Fenton reactions, leading to the faster decolorization.