Electrochemical degradation of chlorpyrifos pesticide in aqueous solutions by anodic oxidation at boron-doped diamond electrodes

Laboratory experiments were carried out on the kinetic of the electrochemical degradation of aqueous solutions containing chlorpyrifos as model compounds of organophosphorus pesticides. The process was studied under galvanostatic polarization mode in acidic medium using boron-doped diamond (BDD) anodes and graphite carbon bar as cathode. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) measurement during the processing permitted the evaluation of the kinetic of organic matter decay and the instantaneous current efficiency. The results showed that the degradation of this pesticide is dependent on its initial concentration, current density and temperature. COD decay follows a pseudo first-order kinetic and the process was under mass transport control within the range studied, regardless of the experimental conditions. The removal rate of COD increases with applied current density until 20 mA cm−2 and decreases for higher values. The degradation rate increased significantly with increasing temperature and initial concentration of chlorpyrifos. The best obtained conditions for COD removal on the BDD anode to degrade chlorpyrifos solutions (COD(0) = 456 mg L−1) include operating at 20 mA cm−2 and 70 °C. This arrangement allows to completely degrade chlorpyrifos in just 6 h. Compared with PbO2, BDD anode has shown more performance and rapidity in the COD removal in the same electrolysis device.