Estudo do mecanismo de oxidação do herbicida atrazina na presença de minerais e sustâncias húmicas em ambiente anaeróbio.

Abstract

The oxidative decomposition of atrazine was induced by hydroxyl radicals generated from the interaction between hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, and iron oxides, yielding the Fenton reaction. The reaction rate of atrazine oxidation was followed in the presence of iron minerals: goethite, ferrihydrite, and lepidocrocite; and further with humic acid (HA) extracted from the soil. It was evaluated parameters such as pH, mineral and H2O2 concentrations for the atrazine oxidation in the presence of the mineral ferrihydrite. Atrazine concentration, as well the formation of the degradation products were identified and quantified using HPLC-UV-vis. Total iron and iron(II) contents were monitored by atomic absorption and UV-vis, respectively. It was observed that atrazine oxidation was catalyzed by the presence of significant amount of iron in solution, rising from mineral proton dissolution, at pH 3. The reaction rate of H2O2 decomposition was pH dependent, shown to be higher at pH>3.0. It was identified three degradation products for atrazine: desisopropylatrazine, desethylatrazine and hydroxyatrazine, which is in agreement with the proposed Fenton reaction mechanism in solution. The HA extracted from soil was characterized by the spectroscopic techniques NMR, EPR, and FTIR; and the results show the presence of functional groups, such as, carboxylic and phenolic acids, besides quinone groups, which are important for reactions involving pesticides. In the presence of HA, it was observed an inhibition for the atrazine decay due to the radical scavenger effect of HA and/or its action as a chelating agent for iron ions in solution or by its adsorption at the mineral surface. Atrazine sorption was higher in the presence of HA rather than minerals, ferrihydrite, for example, at pH 3.