Removal of herbicide 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) from aqueous solutions by electrochemical oxidation using boron-doped diamond (BDD) and PbO electrodes.

The electrochemical removal of the 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) herbicide, a potentially carcinogenic agent from aqueous solutions, was performed at PbO and BDD electrodes by bulk electrolysis under galvanostatic control (300 and 400 A m) and under two pH conditions (3 and 9). Results clearly indicated that a 62 % of mineralization was achieved with BDD anode at pH 3, while only a 46 % of electrochemical oxidation (EO) was achieved at PbO electrode. The mineralization current efficiency (MCE) depended on the electrode material, current density, and pH conditions; but, for both PbO and BDD, high MCE was achieved at pH 3 and 300 A m, obtaining 2.