title: Electrochemical oxidation of hydroquinone, resorcinol, and catechol on boron-doped diamond anodes.
abstract: The electrochemical oxidation of aqueous wastes polluted with hydroquinone, resorcinol, or catechol on boron-doped diamond electrodes has been studied. The complete mineralization of the organic waste has been obtained independently of the nature of each isomer. No aromatic intermediates were found during the treatment, and solely aliphatic intermediates (carboxylic acids C4 and C2, mainly) were detected in the three cases. Although as from the bulk electrolyses study no differences in the electrochemical oxidation of dihydroxybenzenes seem to exist, different voltammetric behavior between resorcinol and the other two isomers was obtained in the voltammetric study. Catechol and hydroquinone have a reversible quinonic form, and a cathodic reduction peak appears in their voltammograms. The characterization of the first steps in the electrochemical oxidation of the three dihydroxybenzenes showed the formation of a larger number of intermediates in the oxidation of catechol, although no carbon dioxide was detected in its oxidation. Conversely, the oxidation of resorcinol and hydroquinone lead to the formation of important concentrations of carbon dioxide. The nondetection of aromatic intermediates, even if small quantities of charge are passed, confirms that the oxidation must be carried out directly on the electrode surface or by hydroxyl radicals generated by decomposition of water.
authors.affiliation: Department de Chimie Industrielle, Institut Supérieur des Sciences Appliquées et Technologie de Genès, Université de Genès, 6072 Zrig, Genès, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Bensalah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nasr
authors.forename: Gadri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abdellatif
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cañizares
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sáez
authors.forename: Justo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lobato
authors.forename: Manuel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
mesh_terms: D001895:Boron / Q000737:chemistry*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D002396:Catechols / Q000032:analysis*; D018130:Diamond / Q000737:chemistry*; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006873:Hydroquinones / Q000032:analysis*; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D007220:Industrial Waste; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012118:Resorcinols / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D002396:Catechols; D006873:Hydroquinones; D007220:Industrial Waste; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012118:Resorcinols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D018130:Diamond; C034221:catechol; D001895:Boron; D010100:Oxygen; C031927:hydroquinone; C031389:resorcinol