Electrochemical incineration of 4-chlorophenol and the identification of products and intermediates by mass spectrometry
- Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
This report summarizes results obtained as part of a larger effort to demonstrate the applicability of electrolytic procedures for the direct anodic (oxidative) degradation of toxic organic wastes. The authors refer to this process as electrochemical incineration (ECI) because the ultimate degradation products are equivalent to those achieved by thermal incineration processes. In this work, the ECI of 4-chlorophenol is achieved in an aqueous medium using a platinum anode coated with a quaternary metal oxide film containing Ti, Ru, Sn, and Sb oxides. The electrode is stable and active when used with a solid Nafion membrane without the addition of soluble supporting electrolyte. Liquid chromatography (LC), including reverse phase and ion exchange chromatography, is coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) and used, along with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and measurements of pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total organic carbon (TOC), to study the reaction and identify the intermediate products from the ECI of 4-chlorophenol. Twenty-six intermediate products are identified and reported. The most abundant of these products are benzoquinone, 4-chlorocatechol, maleic acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, and the inorganic anions chloride, chlorate, and perchlorate. After 24 h of ECI, a solution that initially contained 108 ppm 4-chlorophenol yields only 1 ppm TOC with 98% of the original chlorine remaining in the specified inorganic forms. LC-ES-MS and direct infusion ES-MS detection limits are between 80 ppb and 4 ppm for these intermediate products. Elemental analysis of the electrolyzed solutions by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry ICP-MS showed that only trace amounts of the metallic elements comprising the metal oxide film were present in the solution.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-82
- OSTI ID:
- 6179294
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Vol. 33:15; ISSN ESTHAG; ISSN 0013-936X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
320305* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
COMBUSTION
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INCINERATORS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PROCESSING
SPECTROSCOPY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER