Per: jorge de oliveira melo (intituto militar de engenharia), Breno Ribeiro Mascarenhas (intituto militar de engenharia), Thomaz Jacintho Lopes (intituto militar de engenharia), wagner anacleto pinheiro (intituto militar de engenharia)
Abstract:
Sodium ferrate (Na₂FeO₄) is highly valued for its oxidizing and disinfecting properties, and is used in wastewater treatment, contaminant oxidation, and disinfection. This study analyzes two production routes for sodium ferrate: chemical and electrolytic, considering efficiency, environmental impact, and technical feasibility. The chemical route involves the oxidation of iron salts in an alkaline medium with oxidizing agents such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide. Despite being an established method, it faces significant challenges, including the production of undesirable byproducts, handling of hazardous reagents, and sensitivity to operational parameters. The electrolytic route, in turn, uses electrolysis in an alkaline medium to directly oxidize metallic iron. This approach is more sustainable, avoiding hazardous reagents and being able to use energy from renewable sources. However, it requires optimization in terms of production efficiency, energy consumption, and electrode durability to be economically viable on a large scale. The electrolytic route aligns with circular economy principles by using recycled iron and reducing the carbon footprint. Improvements in green chemistry processes can mitigate the impacts of the chemical route. Economic sustainability can be achieved in the long term by minimizing waste and using renewable energy.