Degradation of dipyrone in an electrochemical flow-by reactor using anodes of boron-doped diamond (BDD) supported on titanium

The aim of the present study was to investigate the electrochemical degradation of sodium dipyrone in aqueous medium using a flow-by reactor equipped with anodes comprising boron-doped diamond film supported on titanium. The system was operated under electrolyte flow conditions that produced laminar (50 L h−1) or turbulent (300 L h−1) regimes in the internal section of the reactor. Spectroscopic and chromatographic analyses revealed that dipyrone was degraded completely within 120 min of electrolysis at applied potentials ⩾+4.0 V independent of the flow regime. The highest rate of removal of total organic carbon was achieved at an applied potential of +5.0 V and an electrolyte flow rate of 300 L h−1. Under these conditions, 52% of the initial organic load was removed after 2 h of electrolysis and 95.2% was eliminated after 8 h reaction. It is concluded that electrochemical technology is effective for the degradation of dipyrone and its possible products formed in aqueous medium.