Photoelectrocatalytic Removal of Bromate Using Ti/TiO2 Coated as a Photocathode

These studies represent the rare use of a TiO2 material as a photocathode and the first application of photoelectrocatalysis for BrO3- removal. Photoelectrocatalytic reduction of BrO3- to Br- can reach 70% at neutral pH under an applied potential of -0.20 V versus SCE (saturated calomel electrode) after 75 min on the irradiated nanoporous thin-film TiO2-Coated working electrode, which presented a flat band potential of -0.0274 V versus SCE. Regardless of the potential applied in these experiments, no BrO3- removal was observed in the counter electrode compartment or during electrolysis or photocatalysis, confirming that reduction of BrO3- to Br- requires the combination of a negative potential (ideally near -0.20 V) and ultraviolet irradiation of the Ti/TiO2 electrode. The process was selective for BrO3- removal in that this process did not ;significantly reduce levels of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in drinking waters.