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ELECTROLYTIC SYSTEMS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SOLVENT-CONTAMINATED WATER

Laboratory scale two-compartment, three-electrode batch and flow-through reactors, in which the potential on the working electrode (cathode) is fixed using a potentiostat, are used to optimize the performance of a pilot scale flow-through reactor that will soon be installed in the field.

Each reactor is capable of accelerating reductive dehalogenation reactions to very high rates under laboratory conditions. Typically, millimolar concentrations of aqueous-phase targets can be dehalogenated in minutes to hours. Depending on the nature of the cathode (iron, nickel, copper, etc.), the reductive dehalogenation can proceed through to the parent alkane in high yields.

Anode compartment oxidative dehalogenation reactions are also described.

The description of each system includes the proposed reaction mechanism, typical kinetic data, and a discussion of the feasibility of applying this technology for the in situ destruction of hazardous compounds.

Key words: electrolysis, dehalogenation, remediation, solvent, ground water