Modified gas diffusion electrodes applied in the degradation of organic pollutants in a flow electrochemical reactor

• Grant number: 20/13088-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: January 28, 2021
• End date: January 27, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Roberto de Vasconcelos Lanza
• Grantee: Paulo Jorge Marques Cordeiro Junior
• Supervisor: Manuel Andrés Rodrigo Rodrigo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real (UCLM), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/19612-4 - Degradation of endocrine disruptors carbofuran, methylparaben and propylparaben via electrogenerated H2O2 and associated processes (electrogenerated H2O2/UV, electro-Fenton e photoelectro-Fenton), BP.DD

Abstract

Advanced oxidative processes (POA) are based on the production of hydroxyl radicals (HO*) as oxidizing agents that are capable of degrading organic pollutants into inoculum compounds. One way of generating the hydroxyl radical is by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The H2O2 can be produced in high concentrations through the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) using the gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) based on amorphous carbon black. The amorphous carbon matrix, such as Printex L6 carbon, has a high selectivity for the H2O2 generation, however there is a high energy consumption involved in this synthesis. The modification of the carbon matrix Printex L6 with porphyrinic organometallic compounds with a metallic center based on cobalt (II) allows to reduce this high energy consumption. Thus, the application of these modified GDEs in large-scale electrochemical reactors is highly feasible. This research project aims to apply the modified GDEs in flow electrochemical reactors in the degradation of organic pollutants in different AOPs systems. By optimizing both the operating parameters of the reactor and the best cathodic material, it is possible to operate the pilot-scale electrochemical reactors with less energy consumption, improving the system for the degradation of organic pollutants. The high performance liquid chromatography and the total organic carbon analyzes will allow to analyze the efficiency of the degradation, as well as helping in the proposal for the degradation route of organic pollutants. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CORDEIRO-JUNIOR, PAULO JORGE MARQUES; BAJO, JUSTO LOBATO; LANZA, MARCOS ROBERTO DE VASCONCELOS; RODRIGO, MANUEL ANDRES RODRIGO. Highly Efficient Electrochemical Production of Hydrogen Peroxide Using the GDE Technology. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, v. 61, n. 30, p. 10-pg., 2022-07-13. (16/19612-4, 20/13088-7)

CORDEIRO, PAULO JORGE MARQUES; MARTINS, ALYSSON STEFAN; PEREIRA, GEORGE BUENO SANTANA; ROCHA, FILLIPE VIEIRA; RODRIGO, MANUEL ANDRES RODRIGO; LANZA, MARCOS ROBERTO DE VASCONCELOS. High-performance gas-diffusion electrodes for H2O2 electrosynthesis. Electrochimica Acta, v. 430, p. 11-pg., 2022-08-29. (14/50945-4, 19/11242-1, 16/04201-9, 17/10118-0, 20/13088-7, 17/13123-4, 16/19612-4, 16/01937-4)

CORDEIRO-JUNIOR, PAULO JORGE MARQUES; LANZA, MARCOS ROBERTO DE VASCONCELOS; RODRIGO, MANUEL ANDRES RODRIGO. Modeling the electrosynthesis of H2O2: Understanding the role of predatory species. Chemical Engineering Science, v. 273, p. 10-pg., 2023-03-23. (20/13088-7, 17/10118-0, 16/19612-4)

MARQUES CORDEIRO-JUNIOR, PAULO JORGE; MARTINS, ALYSSON STEFAN; SANTANA PEREIRA, GEORGE BUENO; ROCHA, FILLIPE VIEIRA; RODRIGO RODRIGO, MANUEL ANDRES; DE VASCONCELOS LANZA, MARCOS ROBERTO. Bisphenol-S removal via photoelectro-fenton/H2O2 process using Co-porphyrin/Printex L6 gas diffusion electrode. Separation and Purification Technology, v. 285, p. 13-pg., 2022-03-15. (20/13088-7, 19/11242-1, 17/10118-0, 16/04201-9, 14/50945-4, 16/01937-4, 17/13123-4, 16/19612-4)

CORDEIRO-JUNIOR, PAULO JORGE MARQUES; JIMENEZ, CRISTINA SAEZ; LANZA, MARCOS ROBERTO DE VASCONCELOS; RODRIGO, MANUEL ANDRES RODRIGO. Electrochemical production of extremely high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide in discontinuous processes. Separation and Purification Technology, v. 300, p. 10-pg., 2022-08-02. (16/19612-4, 17/10118-0, 20/13088-7)