ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION OF RESORCINOL FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT USING Ti/TiO₂-RuO₂-IrO₂ ELECTRODE

Abstract

Electrochemical oxidation of resorcinol for wastewater treatment in the presence of chloride was investigated. Titanium Substrate Insoluble Anode (TSIA) coated with TiO₂-RuO₂-IrO₂ was used as an anode and graphite carbon sheet was used as a cathode. The extent of resorcinol electrochemical oxidation was determined in terms of COD removal. The Box-Behnken second order composite design was used to study the effect of operating parameters such as initial pH, chloride concentration, initial concentration of resorcinol and charge input. The experimental values were in good correlation with predicted values, and the correlation coefficient was found to be good. The effect of current density on resorcinol oxidation, the AOX level during the electrochemical treatment and TOC removal were also studied for selected conditions. It has been observed that the extended electrolysis brings down the AOX concentration to lower levels. The maximum current efficiency was observed at higher resorcinol concentration, higher chloride concentration and increasing current density.

Keywords:

• Resorcinol
• Electrochemical oxidation
• Chloride
• Waste-water treatment
• Experimental design
• Ti/TiO₂-RuO₂-IrO₂ electrode

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We thank Mr. Jayakumar, Director, Titanium Equipment and Anode Manufacturing Company Limited, Chennai, India, for having provided the sample anode to carryout this work.