The goal of this U.S.-Hungarian research project between Virender Sharma of Florida Institute of Technology and Zoltan Homonnay of Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest is to investigate the reaction of ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) and related complexes of iron with hydrogen peroxide in an aqueous medium. Iron binds strongly with EDTA, and hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant is involved in numerous biological, industrial and environmental chemical reactions. The team of U.S. and Hungarian researchers plans to study this reaction mechanism by identifying oxidation states of iron and iron-containing complexes in the reaction using Mossbauer spectroscopic techniques and by studying the kinetics and the characteristics of oxidation products from the reaction. Results should improve our understanding of the Fenton reaction, and other reactions involving iron complexes. Since iron and iron speciation is important in biological systems, a detailed understanding of iron and iron chemistry in aquatic systems could produce fundamental advancements in inorganic chemistry and physical chemistry that have potential applications in green synthesis, environmental chemistry, and general redox reactions.
This collaborative chemistry project fulfills the program objective of advancing scientific knowledge by enabling experts in the United States and Central Europe to combine complementary talents and share research resources in areas of strong mutual interest and competence. Broader impacts include the introduction of a U.S. graduate student to the international research community through work at the Hungarian partner's institution and direct involvement in the project's novel application of Mossbauer spectroscopic techniques.
