Characterization of Magnetite Nanoparticle Reactivity in the Presence of Carbon Tetrachloride

Throughout the United States, there are a large number of groundwater systems contaminated by chlorinated organic compounds. Of these compounds, carbon tetrachloride (CT) is one of the most frequently encountered due to its past, widespread industrial use. In anaerobic groundwater environments, CT has been shown to be susceptible to degradation by both biotic and abiotic processes. One abiotic process that has been researched extensively is the reduction of CT by iron metal and associated iron oxides and hydroxides. Magnetite, an iron oxide, is a ubiquitous component of many subsurface environments and has been investigated as a potential groundwater remediation technology. One beneficial characteristic of magnetite is the capability to be synthetically produced in various sizes and shapes - including particles within the nanoscale range. Nanoscale particles have been shown to be more reactive towards contaminants than larger sized particles due to their large surface areas and high surface reactivity. This project was designed to characterize the behavior of synthetic magnetite in the presence of carbon tetrachloride under anaerobic conditions.