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Remediation of Diquat-Contaminated Water by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes Using Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) Anodes

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Abstract

The electrochemical elimination of the herbicide diquat dibromide (DQ) in an undivided electrochemical cell (Condiacell®-type cell) and an H-type cell (a divided electrochemical cell) using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes is reported for the first time. The degradation of essentially 100% of the DQ present was achieved in the undivided electrochemical cell and ca. 92% in the H-type cell. Nearly 80% of the total organic carbon (TOC) and of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) were removed after 5 h of treatment at different current densities (i.e., 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mA/cm2 for the undivided cell, and 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mA/cm2 for the H-type cell) with a maximum specific energy consumption of approximately 150 kWh kg−1 of COD degraded in the undivided cell, and 300 kWh kg−1 of COD in the H-type cell. Energy consumption of about 0.30 kWh g−1 of TOC occurred in the undivided electrochemical cell and 2.0 in the H-type cell. In spite of obtaining similar percentages of DQ degradation and of COD and TOC removal, a smaller energy usage was required in the undivided cell since smaller current densities were employed. Best results were obtained with the undivided cell, since it required a smaller current density to obtain virtually the same percentage of DQ degradation and removal of COD and TOC. The results obtained herein show that the use of electrochemical advanced oxidation processes may be a good alternative for DQ degradation in polluted water.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the financial support from the research office of the Universidad Iberoamericana Project No. 54. “Electrochemical and photochemical reactions for more efficient energy use, 2nd. Phase,” and the experimental assistance by Samuel Macias-Bravo.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ingeniería y Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Iberoamericana, Prolongación Paseo de la Reforma 880, 01219, Mexico City, Mexico

    Alma L. Valenzuela, Ruben Vasquez-Medrano & Jorge G. Ibanez

  2. Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Toluca, 50200, Estado de México, Mexico

    Bernardo A. Frontana-Uribe

  3. Facultad de Ingeniería y Administración, Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Sede Palmira, Carrera 32 No 12–00 Chapinero, Vía Candelaria, Palmira, Colombia

    Dorian Prato-Garcia

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  1. Alma L. Valenzuela
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  3. Jorge G. Ibanez
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Valenzuela, A.L., Vasquez-Medrano, R., Ibanez, J.G. et al. Remediation of Diquat-Contaminated Water by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes Using Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) Anodes. Water Air Soil Pollut 228, 67 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3244-5

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