Analysis of Energetic Species Caused by Contact Glow Discharge Electrolysis in Aqueous Solution

Contact glow discharge electrolysis is a non-Faradaic electrochemical process with an abnormal relationship between the current and voltage. Hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen radicals and hydrogen peroxide can be produced under the glow discharge, which are often used to degrade organic contaminants in aqueous solution. In this study, with 4-nitrophenol taken as an example of contaminants and tert-butanol as a scavenger of hydroxyl radicals, the role of energetic species in degrading organic compounds was examined in detail. Moreover, the effects of the applied voltage, solution conductivity and pH on the formation of three energetic species were also observed. The formation rate constants of the three energetic species were calculated based on the experimental data.

Degradation of Chloroanilines in Aqueous Solution by Contact Glow Discharge Electrolysis

Contact glow discharge electrolysis of some chloroanilines in sodium sulfate was investigated in different initial concentrations. Each of them underwent the dechlorination, deam-ination through oxidative degradation, and were eventually decomposed into hydrogen carbonate and carbon dioxide. It was testified that the chlorine atom and amidogen could be transformed into chloride ion and nitrite ion, respectively. Fe2+ has a remarkable catalytic effect on the degradation of them. On the basis of the detailed analysis of the intermediate products and kinetic behaviors, the reaction pathway was proposed, in which the attack of hydroxyl radical on the benzene ring of starting material might be a key step.

The Role of Fe(Ⅱ)in the Contact Glow Discharge Electrolysis

In this paper, we use methyl violet as a model organic substrate in wastewater to study the effect of Fe（Ⅱ） ion on the contact glow discharge electrolysis （CGDE）. The decoloration rate and the COD （Chemical Oxygen Demand） value have been examined. It is found that the presence of Fe（Ⅱ） ion can accelerate obviously the degradation of methyl violet, because it reacts with H2O2 in the CGDE process to yield hydroxyl radical, just acting as a Fenton-like reagent. Moreover, the optimal conditions for decoloring methyl violet were obtained, by means of an orthogonal experiment, to be [Fe^2＋] =1×10^-3 mol/L, applied voltage of 700 V of and pH = 9.0.

Mineralization of aqueous pentachlorophenolate by anodic contact glow discharge electrolysis

Exhaustive mineralization of pentachlorophenolate ion（PCP） in phosphate buffer was carried out using anodic contact glow discharge electrolysis（CGDE）,in which plasma was sustained between the electrolyte and anode.During CGDE,PCP degraded smoothly.The amount of total organic carbon decreased significantly,indicating the eventual conversion of the carbon atoms of benzene nucleus to inorganic carbons.Furthermore,chlorine atoms in PCP were liberated as chloride ions.As a primary intermediate product,2,3,5,6tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone was detected,and oxalate and formate as byproducts were also found.It was revealed that disappearance of PCP obeyed first-order kinetics.The reaction rate was generally unaffected by both O2 and inert gases in the cell,although it decreased by raising initial pH of solution.In addition,a plausible reaction pathway involving hydroxyl radical was proposed.

Destruction of 4-phenolsulfonic acid in water by anodic contact glow discharge electrolysis

Destruction of 4-phenolsulfonic acid （4-PSA） in water was carded out using anodic contact glow discharge electrolysis. Accompanying the decay of 4-PSA, the amount of total organic carbon （TOC） in water correspondingly decreased, while the sulfonate group of 4- PSA was released as sulfate ion. Oxalate and formate were obtained as minor by-products. Additionally, phenol, 1,4-hydroquinone, hydroxyquinol and 1,4-benzoquinone were detected as primary intermediates in the initial stages of decomposition of 4-PSA. A reaction pathway involving successive attacks of hydroxyl and hydrogen radicals was assumed on the basis of the observed products and kinetics. It was revealed that the decay of both 4-PSA and TOC obeyed a first-order rate law. The effects of different Fe ions and initial concentrations of 4-PSA on the degradation rate were investigated. It was found that the presence of Fe ions could increase the degradation rate of 4-PSA, while initial concentrations lower than 80 mmol/L had no significant effect on kinetic behaviour. The disappearance rate of 4-PSA was significantly affected by pH.

Oxidative Degradation of o-Chlorophenol with Contact Glow Discharges in Aqueous Solution

Contact glow discharge electrolysis (CGDE) of o-chlorophenol (2-CP) was investigated under different pH, voltages and initial concentrations. And the mechanism of the oxidation was explored. The results suggested that the degradation followed the first order kinetic law; Fe2+ had a remarkable catalytic effect on the removal rate of o-chloropenol. In the presence of Fe2+, 2-CP underwent an exhaustive degradation, from which the major intermediates included o-dihydroxybenze, p-hydroxybenze, p-benzoquione and carboxlic acids.