Abstract
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•Use of pyrite, a solid Fe containing salt, as heterogeneous catalyst.•A new electro-Fenton process called “pyrite electro-Fenton” (pyrite-EF).•Quasi complete mineralization of aqueous solutions of a new azo dye, AHPS, by pyrite-EF.•Pyrite-EF is more cost effective than classical EF process.
The mineralization of a new azo dye – the (4-amino-3-hydroxy-2-p-tolylazo-naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid) (AHPS) – has been studied by a novel electrochemical advanced oxidation process (EAOP), consisting in electro-Fenton (EF) oxidation, catalyzed by pyrite as the heterogeneous catalyst – the so-called ‘pyrite-EF’. This solid pyrite used as heterogeneous catalyst instead of a soluble iron salt, is the catalyst the system needs for production of hydroxyl radicals. Experiments were performed in an undivided cell equipped with a BDD anode and a commercial carbon felt cathode to electrogenerate in situ H2O2 and regenerate ferrous ions as catalyst. The effects on operating parameters, such as applied current, pyrite concentration and initial dye content, were investigated. AHPS decay and mineralization efficiencies were monitored by HPLC analyses and TOC measurements, respectively. Experimental results showed that AHPS was quickly oxidized by hydroxyl radicals (OH) produced simultaneously both on BDD surface by water discharge and in solution bulk from electrochemically assisted Fenton’s reaction with a pseudo-first-order reaction. AHPS solutions with 175mgL−1 (100mgL−1 initial TOC) content were then almost completely mineralized in 8h. Moreover, the results demonstrated that, under the same conditions, AHPS degradation by pyrite electro-Fenton process was more powerful than the conventional electro-Fenton process.