Removal of Pesticides through Decentralized Electrochemical Technologies

• Grant number: 25/16092-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Alexsandro Jhones dos Santos
• Grantee: Izis Cristina Scutari
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/16167-3 - Decentralized electrochemical technologies for water reuse: a promising approach towards environmental sustainability, AP.JP

Abstract

Water contamination by pesticides is a critical environmental concern due to its negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health, especially in regions with high agricultural activity, such as the northwest of São Paulo state, where pesticides like atrazine, glyphosate, and lindane have been detected in drinking water sources. Although widely used in agriculture for pest control and crop yield enhancement, improper disposal of these agrochemicals contributes to their persistence and toxicity in the environment. Conventional water treatment methods often face limitations in effectively removing these contaminants, highlighting the need for advanced treatment technologies. In this context, advanced electrochemical processes emerge as promising alternatives, as they promote pesticide degradation without the addition of chemical reagents and operate under environmentally sustainable conditions. Techniques such as electrochemical oxidation and electro-Fenton use electric currents to generate highly reactive hydroxyl radicals capable of breaking down the complex chemical structures of pesticides into less toxic compounds. This work aims to evaluate different electrochemical treatments to optimize the efficiency of pesticide removal and mineralization in water, seeking a balance between performance and energy cost. Experimental variables such as applied current density, initial pesticide concentration, solution pH, and the influence of the environmental matrix will be assessed. Pesticide concentrations will be monitored by HPLC, mineralization by TOC analysis, and by-products identified by LC-MS. Furthermore, a modular design of electrochemical reactors will be proposed to enable practical and realistic application of the most efficient process at various scales. (AU)