Preparation of Ti/Pt/SnO2-Sb2O4 electrodes for anodic oxidation of pharmaceutical drugs

Ti/Pt/SnO2-Sb2O4 electrodes were prepared by alternating Sn and Sb electrodepositions, repeated 4 or 16 times, onto a platinized titanium foil by a thermo-electrochemical method. Chemical, electrochemical, and structural tests have been used for the characterization of Ti/Pt/SnO2-Sb2O4 electrodes. Anodic oxidation of the aqueous solution contaminated by amoxicillin, clofibric acid, diclofenac, and ibuprofen having a concentration of 100 mg L-1 and 0.035 M of Na2SO4 have been applied using Ti/Pt/SnO2-Sb2O4 electrodes at a current density of 10 and 30 mA cm(-2). The chemical oxygen demand removals increased with current density and except for diclofenac, the Ti/Pt/SnO2-Sb2O4 electrode with 4 electrodeposition repetitions gave the best results. The combustion efficiencies for diclofenac and ibuprofen were higher than those obtained with similar electrode material, prepared without platinization, especially in the assay run with Ti/Pt/SnO2-Sb2O4 (16 electrodeposition repetitions).