Electrochemical degradation of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA) in a synthetic groundwater medium using stainless-steel electrodes

The electrochemical degradation of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA) was examined in a synthetic groundwater medium. An undivided electrolytic reactor constructed with 304L-type stainless-steel plate electrodes was employed in all experiments. The removal of total organic carbon (TOC) content during the electrolysis of DCA was experimentally examined. Stainless-steel plate electrodes were effective in degrading DCA under experimental conditions including varying initial concentrations, chloride concentrations, electrolyte conductivities and applied current densities. A half-life method demonstrated TOC removal followed zero-order kinetics under the experimental conditions examined. Chlorides concentration and applied current affected the TOC removal rates. An increase in current density increased the rate of TOC removal but caused a reduction in mineralization current efficiency. Increase in electrolyte conductivity had no effect on TOC removal rates but it decreased the energy consumption by reducing the cell voltage. Reaction temperature was shown to affect the TOC removal and was modeled by the Arrhenius equation. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.