Chlorobenzene degradation by electro-heterogeneous catalysis in aqueous solution: intermediates and reaction mechanism

This study was performed to investigate the variables that influence chlorobenzene (CB) degradation in aqueous solution by electro-heterogeneous catalysis. The effects of current density, pH, and electrolyte concentration on CB degradation were determined. The degradation efficiency of CB was almost 100% with an initial CB concentration of 50 mg/L, current density 15 mA/cm2, initial pH 10, electrolyte concentration 0.1 mol/L, and temperature 25°C after 90 min of reaction. Under the same conditions, the degradation efficiency of CB was only 51% by electrochemical (EC) process, which showed that electro-heterogeneous catalysis was more efficient than EC alone. The analysis results of Purge-and-Trap chromatography-mass spectrometry (P&T/GC/MS) and ion chromatography (IC) indicated that in the reaction process, the initial .OH attack could occur at the C–Cl bond of CB, yielding phenol and biphenyl with the release of Cl−. Further oxidation of phenol and biphenyl produced ρ-Vinylbenzoic acid and hydroquinol. Finally, the compounds were oxidized to butenedioic acid and other small-molecule acids.