Effect of mediator on decontamination of chloroaromatic compounds by using electrochemical method

• Main Authors: Abdul Jalil, Aishah, Sundang, Murni, Tajuddin, Norhuda, Akhbar, Suffiyana, Idris, Ani, Triwahyono, Sugeng, Awang Panjang, Noor Fatimah, Tokuda, Masao
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2005
• Subjects: T Technology (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/5245/1/AishahAbdulJalil2005_EffectOfMediatorOnDecontaminationOfChloroaromatic.pdf; http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/5245/

Decontamination of chloroaromatic compounds has been studied under mild conditions by a simple electrochemical reduction method in order to remove chlorine atoms completely from such compounds. Chlorobenzene was used as a model substrate to determine the optimum conditions of the dechlorination, Electrolysis of chlorobenzene in an acetonitrile solution containing tetraethylammonium perchlorate as a supporting electrolyte in a one- compartment cell fitted with a platinum cathode and a zinc anode at a constant current of 60 mA/cm2 was found to be the optimum conditions in this dechlorination. However, complete dechlorination can not be achieved by applying this conditions to dechlorinate 1,3-dichlorobenzene and 1,2,4- trichlorobenzene .Alternative method by adding naphthalene as a mediator in this system was found to solve this problem and as a result, complete dechlorination of such chloroaromatic compounds were achieved to give 100% conversion off the starting materials. This efficient and simple method could be expected and applied to dechlorinate other chloroaromatic compounds in wastewater in order to solve environmental problems.