High-Concentrated Organic Pollutants Degradation by Electrochemical Oxidation Integrated with Dioxygen Activation

Electrochemical oxidation integrated with dioxygen activation for high-concentrated chlorophenol degradation was studied in an undivided electrochemical reactor. Dioxygen could be activated under the electrocatalysis to generate the stronger oxidants which promoted the contaminants degradation. The stronger oxidants produced were mainly hydrogen peroxide and the concentration was about 0.6 mmol L^-1 when the current was 3.5 mA cm^-2 , sparged dioxygen rate was 0.05 m³ h^-1 . Synergetic effect was achieved in the combination process of electrochemical oxidation and dioxygen activation. The removal rate for 1000 mg L 4-chlorophenol by the combination process could reach 85% under given operational condition, while it was only 50% by the single electrocatalysis. Low pH was preferable to the removal of 4-chlorophenol. The mechanism of contaminants degradation and the possible reaction paths were given.