Synthetic goethite(FeOOH) prepared in laboratory was evaluated for FeOOH/H2O2 catalytic activity removing para-chloronitrobenzene(p-CNB) in water.The pathway of degradation was deduced from the effect of tert-butanol on the catalytic reaction and the performance comparison with some related reactions.Effects of catalyst and oxidant doses

as well as the factors associated with water quality such as initial pH of solution

HCO-3 alkalinity and humic acids

on p-CNB removal in FeOOH/ H2O2 system were also examined.The results show that FeOOH has high catalytic activity on H2O2 decomposition for removing p-CNB in water.Tert-butanol could effectively inhibit the oxidation of p-CNB in FeOOH/H2O2 system

indicating the catalytic oxidation reaction follows a hydroxyl radical pathway.Under the optimal reaction conditions of pH value in the range of 4.0—6.0

dosage of 333 mg·L-1 FeOOH and 6.6 mg·L-1 of H2O2

the removal efficiency of p-CNB is more than 80% after 30 minutes in this experiment.Both bicarbonate and humic acid have inhibitory effect on p-CNB removal

and the higher bicarbonate and humic aid concentration are

the stronger the inhibitory effect is.