Electrochemical incineration of glucose as a model organic substrate - II. Role of active chlorine mediation

The electrochemical incineration of glucose mediated by active chlorine in alkaline media has been studied under different electrolysis conditions. For the sake of comparison, the electrolysis has been carried out in the presence of 1 M Na2SO4 + 0.01 M NaOH at Pt, SnO2-Pt composite electrodes and PbO2 electrodes in the absence of sodium chloride. At the first two electrode materials, only partial oxidation could be achieved and complete mineralization was observed only at PbO7 electrode. While the other parameters remain constant, addition of NaCl to the solution causes a sharp increase of the reactivity of glucose and its oxidation intermediates, toward the electrochemical incineration. At a NaCl concentration as low as 1 g dm(-3), the mediation of the incineration process by active chlorine is already significant. A maximum is achieved at [NaCl] = 5 g dm(-3) (in 0.01 M NaOH). At this sodium chloride concentration, the chemical oxygen demand of glucose solutions has been found to decrease faster, the lower the solution temperature and the higher the current density. This acceleration of the mineralization is accompanied by an increase of faradaic efficiency. (C) 2000 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-3651(99)06-107-8. All rights reserved.