Oxidation of [Fe(CN)6]4− and reduction of [Fe(CN)6]3− in VUV-irradiated aqueous solutions

Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photolysis is one of the straightforward alternatives method among the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the elimination of pollutants from water and air. The VUV photolysis of water produces hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen atoms, which have widely different oxidation and reduction abilities. In this work the oxidation and reduction properties of VUV-irradiated solutions were compared by investigating the reduction of [Fe(CN)6]3− and the oxidation of [Fe(CN)6]4−. The rate of oxidation of [Fe(CN)6]3− was found to be practically the same as the reduction rate of [Fe(CN)6]4− in the irradiated oxygen-free solutions under identical conditions. Dissolved oxygen strongly influences the redox properties of this system.