Chlorobenzene degradation by electro-heterogeneous catalysis in aqueous solution: intermediates and reaction mechanism

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the variables that influence chlorobenzene (CB) degradation in aqueous solution by electro-heterogeneous catalysis. The effects of current density, pH, and electrolyte concentration on CB degradation were determined. The degradation efficiency of CB was almost 100% with an initial CB concentration of 50 mg/L, current density 15 mA/cm2, initial pH 10, electrolyte concentration 0.1 mol/L, and temperature 25 degrees C after 90 min of reaction. Under the same conditions, the degradation efficiency of CB was only 51% by electrochemical (EC) process, which showed that electro-heterogeneous catalysis was more efficient than EC alone. The analysis results of Purge-and-Trap chromatography-mass spectrometry (P&T/GC/MS) and ion chromatography (IC) indicated that in the reaction process, the initial *OH attack could occur at the C-Cl bond of CB, yielding phenol and biphenyl with the release of Cl-. Further oxidation of phenol and biphenyl produced p-Vinylbenzoic acid and hydroquinol. Finally, the compounds were oxidized to butenedioic acid and other small-molecule acids.