title: Electrocatalytic oxidation of phenol from wastewater using Ti/SnO2-Sb2O4 electrode: chemical reaction pathway study.
abstract: In this study, a titanium plate was impregnated with SnO2 and Sb (Ti/SnO2-Sb2O4) for the electrocatalytic removal of phenol from wastewater, and the chemical degradation pathway was presented. The effects of various parameters such as pH, current density, supporting electrolyte, and initial phenol concentration were studied. At optimum conditions, it was found that phenol was quickly oxidized into benzoquinone because of the formation of various strong radicals during electrolysis by the Ti/SnO2-Sb2O4 anode from 100 to <1 mg/L over 1 h. The results of GC/MS analysis showed the presence of some esters of organic acid such as oxalic acid and formic acid. HPLC analysis showed only trace amounts of benzoquinone remaining in the solution. The efficiency of TOC removal at the Ti/SnO2-Sb2O4 anode surface showed a degradation rate of 49 % over 2 h. Results showed that the molecular oxygen potential at the electrode was 1.7 V. The phenol removal mechanism at the surface of the Ti/SnO2-Sb2O4 anode was influenced by the pH. Under acidic conditions, the mechanism of electron transfer occurred directly, whereas under alkaline conditions, the mechanism can be indirect. This research shows that the proposed electrolyte can significantly influence the efficiency of phenol removal. It can be concluded that the treatment using an appropriate Ti/SnO2-Sb2O4 electrode surface can result in the rapid oxidation of organic pollutants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahshid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loloi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. rezaee@modares.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezaee
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, Materials Engineering Department, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aliofkhazraei
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, Materials Engineering Department, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza Sabour
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rouhaghdam
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D004566:Electrodes; D004572:Electrolysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D019800:Phenol / Q000737:chemistry*; D017971:Tin Compounds; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D019800:Phenol; D017971:Tin Compounds; D014025:Titanium; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Catalytic oxidation; Electro oxidation; Organic pollution; Surface layer; Wastewater