Electrochemical Degradation of Phenol and Resorcinol Molecules through the Dissolution of Sacrificial Anodes of Macro-Corrosion Galvanic Cells

Abstract

This paper reports on the processes of phenol and resorcinol electrodegradation carried-out through continuous anodic dissolution of aluminum alloy and carbon steel sacrificial anodes for artificially aerated Cu-Al alloy and Cu-Fe-based galvanic (macro-corrosion) cells and synthetically prepared wastewater solutions. Electrochemical experiments were carried-out by means of a laboratory size, PMMA (Poly-methyl methacrylate)-made electrolyser unit, where significant degrees of phenol (10-89%) and resorcinol (13-37%) decomposition were obtained and visualized through the respective chemical/spectroscopy analyses. In addition, quantitative determination of phenol, as well as resorcinol (and possible electrodegradation products) for the selected experimental conditions was performed by means of instrumental high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis.

The Effect of Resorcinol on the Kinetics of Underpotentially Deposited Hydrogen and the Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Studied on Polycrystalline Pt in a 0.5 M H2SO4 Solution

“…Moreover, the cyclic voltammograms recorded in the presence of resorcinol (at the concentrations of 1 × 10 −5 and 1 × 10 −4 M) are also practically identical (see Figure S2 in the Supplementary Materials). As previously reported by Duan et al [19], Chen et al [20], and Pierozynski, and Piotrowska [21], electrochemical degradation of resorcinol leads to the destruction of its aromatic ring structure, where maleic, oxalic and formic acids are found to be key intermediate electrooxidation products of resorcinol. Hence, it is strongly believed that such surface-adsorbed intermediates could then impediment the oxygen evolution reaction through the surface repulsive interaction between the RC oxidation intermediate(s) and hydroxyl or oxygen species, as shown as an example in Scheme 2.…”

Electrochemical Degradation of Industrial Dyes in Wastewater through the Dissolution of Aluminum Sacrificial Anode of Cu/Al Macro-Corrosion Galvanic Cell

“…Furthermore, it has to be stated that employment of pure aluminum anodes results in radically inhibited anode oxidation, as elemental Al (unlike some of its alloys) is highly-susceptible to the surface formation of a thick, electrically insulating and exceptionally corrosion-resistant oxide layer (see e.g., recent work by Pierozynski and Piotrowska in Ref. [ 12 ]).…”

“…The above combines both physical and chemical wastewater treatment methods, but without introduction of chemicals [ 11 ]. Apart from a typical dc supply system, aluminum ions may also be generated by galvanic couples, e.g., from aluminum sacrificial anode of aerated, Cu/Al alloy macro-corrosion cell [ 12 , 13 ]. In general, Al alloy is used as a prominent electrode material for sacrificial cathodic protection systems, where the presence of a small amount of other elements (e.g., Hg, In) in bulk Al effectively prevents its surface passivation [ 14 ].…”

Morphological Grayscale Reconstruction and ATLD for Recognition of Organic Pollutants in Drinking Water Based on Fluorescence Spectroscopy

“…Many researchers have proposed many kinds of methods to detect water quality information because water quality has been increasingly paid attention by the world, and the detection technology becomes more urgently needed. Chemical analysis [3], gas chromatography (GC) [4], high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) [5,6], and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) [7] are common methods for water-quality detection, although they are complex and time-consuming. The concentration of pollutants is generally low after contaminant intrusion takes place in urban water supply systems, and according to the Environmental Health Criteria-EHC 161 [8] and the 'Guidelines for drinking water quality standards in developing countries' [9], the concentration limit of most organic pollutants is below 10 µg/L.…”