Treatment of Tebuthiuron in synthetic and real wastewater using electrochemical flow-by reactor

Author(s)

da Costa, Aline J. M. ^[1] ; Kronka, Matheus S. ^[1] ; Cordeiro-Junior, Paulo J. M. ^[1] ; Fortunato, Guilherme V. ^[1] ; dos Santos, Alexsandro J. ^[1] ; Lanza, Marcos R. V. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos Inst Chem, Ave Trabalhador Sao Carlense 400, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; v. 882, FEB 1 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The inefficiency of conventional water treatment methods in the treatment of recalcitrant herbicides has led to the search for new, efficient and eco-friendly mechanisms for degrading these organic pollutants. Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOP) have emerged as a promising alternative due to their high degree of efficiency in degrading organic pollutants. This work investigates the removal of Tebuthiuron (TBH) in synthetic and real wastewater using different EAOPs in a flow-by reactor. The degradation/mineralization experiments were performed using boron-doped diamond electrode as anode and gas-diffusion electrode (GDE) as cathode for the in situ electrogeneration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). For the analysis conducted in synthetic medium, TBH degradation was found to fit well in a pseudo-first-order kinetic reaction with increasing k1 values according to the following order of efficiency: anodic oxidation (AO, 3.1 x 10-5 s-1) < AO with H2O2 generation (AO-H2O2, 4.8 x 10-5 s-1) < electro-Fenton (EF, 5.9 x 10-5 s-1) < AO-H2O2/UVC (2.6 x 10-4 s-1) < photoelectro-Fenton (PEF, 3.2 x 10-4 s-1). AO-H2O2/UVC and PEF processes presented the highest rates of mineralization and similar energy consumption per order (45 kWh m-3 order-1). The degradation experiment conducted using real urban wastewater yielded a 1.7-fold decrease in TBH degradation kinetics compared to the synthetic medium; this difference was attributed to the presence of inorganic ions and natural organic matter in real wastewater which tended to affect the electrochemical system efficiency. The findings of this study are of great interest and confirm the viability of electrochemical techniques for treating complex effluents contaminated by herbicides. <comment>Superscript/Subscript Available</comment (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/25831-0 - Degradation of insecticide Esfenvalerate by advanced electrochemical oxidation processes (AEOP)
• Grantee: Aline Jorge Menezes da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 17/23464-3 - Study of agrochemical degradation paraquat, sodium-metham and carbaryl by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Process (EAOP) using gas diffusion electrode modified with bimetallic oxides
• Grantee: Matheus Schiavon Kronka
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 19/04421-7 - Production and characterization of metal-graphene or graphene oxide nanocomposites for the electrocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide: Application to the degradation of endocrine disrupting chemicals by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes
• Grantee: Guilherme Vilalba Fortunato
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 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)
• Grantee: Paulo Jorge Marques Cordeiro Junior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 17/10118-0 - Study and application of electrochemical technology for the analysis and degradation of endocrine interferents: materials, sensors, processes and scientific dissemination
• Grantee: Marcos Roberto de Vasconcelos Lanza
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/20634-0 - Treatment of wastewater contaminated with endocrine interferences through the application of electrochemical advanced oxidation processes: synergistic effect of different carbon supported cathodes
• Grantee: Alexsandro Jhones dos Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 14/50945-4 - INCT 2014: National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection, Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactivies
• Grantee: Maria Valnice Boldrin
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants