Bimetallic Mn-Ce oxides modified α-Fe₂O₃ nanorods for low temperature catalytic thermal desorption of naphthalene in soil

Developing highly active catalytic thermal desorption system is of great significance to soil remediation in a sustainable manner. Herein, Mn-Ce oxides modified α-Fe₂O₃ nanorods were fabricated for catalytic thermal desorption of naphthalene. When N₂ was injected at 500 mL/min and heated at 180 °C for 5 min, the removal rate of naphthalene in soil by Ce-Mn/α-Fe₂O₃ reached a maximum of 99.96 %, and the corresponding removal rate achieved 32.1 %. Such excellent catalytic performances can be attributed to the mutual conversion of oxidation valence states of MnO_x, CeO₂, and Fe₂O₃, which enhance the oxygen mobility of the catalyst surface, resulting in abundant oxygen vacancies and acidic sites. Combined with the tests of GC–MS and FT-IR, the degradation intermediates were identified and a probable reaction pathway was proposed. This study provides an economical and efficient strategy for the enhancement of catalytic thermal desorption, showing crucial practical significance for PHAs remediation in soil.