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6CCVD Research

Removal of Recalcitrant Compounds from Winery Wastewater by Electrochemical Oxidation

At a Glance

Section titled “At a Glance”
MetadataDetails
Publication Date2022-02-26
JournalWater
AuthorsAna Baía, Ana Lopes, Maria João Nunes, Lurdes Ciríaco, Maria José Pacheco
InstitutionsUniversity of Beira Interior
Citations11
AnalysisFull AI Review Included

Technical Documentation & Analysis: BDD Electro-Oxidation for Winery Wastewater Treatment

Section titled “Technical Documentation & Analysis: BDD Electro-Oxidation for Winery Wastewater Treatment”

Reference Paper: BaĂ­a et al. (2022). Removal of Recalcitrant Compounds from Winery Wastewater by Electrochemical Oxidation. Water, 14, 750.

Executive Summary

Section titled “Executive Summary”

This research validates Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) anodes as a highly effective solution for the advanced oxidation of complex industrial effluents, specifically winery wastewater (WW).

  • Superior Degradation: Electrochemical Oxidation (EO) using a BDD anode achieved exceptional removal rates, degrading recalcitrant compounds (phthalic acid, tyrosol, and catechin) by >99.9%.
  • High Mineralization Efficiency: The process resulted in a 98.3% reduction in Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), demonstrating near-complete mineralization of the organic load.
  • Biodegradability Improvement: The biodegradability index (BOD5/COD) was significantly increased from 0.39 (initial spiked WW) to 0.99 (treated WW), making the effluent suitable for subsequent biological treatment or discharge.
  • Optimized Energy Use: By prolonging treatment time (14 h) at a low current density (300 A m-2), the specific energy consumption (Esp) was optimized to 53 kWh (kg COD)-1, balancing efficiency and operational cost.
  • Material Validation: The BDD anode’s high oxygen-evolution potential proved critical for generating the necessary hydroxyl radicals (HO˚) required to oxidize highly resistant phenolic compounds.
  • Toxicity Reduction: Ecotoxicity towards Daphnia magna was reduced 1.3-fold, confirming the environmental benefit of the BDD-based Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP).

Technical Specifications

Section titled “Technical Specifications”

The following hard data points were extracted from the optimized electrochemical oxidation experiments (14 h treatment at 300 A m-2).

ParameterValueUnitContext
Anode MaterialBoron-Doped Diamond (BDD)-Electrochemical Oxidation (EO)
Applied Current Density (j)300A m-2Optimized low-j experiment
Treatment Duration14hTime to meet discharge limits
Initial COD (Spiked WW)5.7 ± 0.1g L-1High organic load
Final COD Concentration97 ± 2mg L-1Below Portuguese legal limit (150 mg L-1)
COD Removal Efficiency98.3%High mineralization achieved
Final BOD5/COD Index0.99-Highly biodegradable effluent
Final Phthalic Acid Concentration<0.10mg L-1>99.9% removal
Final Tyrosol Concentration<0.10mg L-1>99.9% removal
Final Catechin Concentration<0.10mg L-1>99.9% removal
Specific Energy Consumption (Esp)53kWh (kg COD)-1Optimized energy use
Electric Energy Consumption (E)292kWh m-3Total energy consumption
Final pH5.30 ± 0.06-Near discharge limit (6.0 < pH < 9.0)

Key Methodologies

Section titled “Key Methodologies”

The electrochemical oxidation (EO) process utilized a BDD anode in a batch reactor setup.

  1. Reactor Configuration: Experiments were conducted in an undivided cylindrical cell containing 230 mL of sample, operating in batch mode with continuous stirring (250 rpm).
  2. Electrode Setup: A commercial BDD electrode (anode) and a stainless-steel plate (cathode) were used, both with an immersed area of 10 cm2.
  3. Interelectrode Gap: The distance between the anode and cathode was maintained at 0.3 cm.
  4. Sample Matrix: Real winery wastewater (WW) was fortified (spiked) with 0.1 g L-1 concentrations of phthalic acid, tyrosol, and catechin to simulate extreme conditions.
  5. Current Density Study: The influence of applied current density (j) was evaluated across 300, 500, 700, and 900 A m-2.
  6. Electrolyte Addition: For high-j experiments (500-900 A m-2), 0.25 g L-1 of Na2SO4 was added as a supporting electrolyte to compensate for the low electrical conductivity (EC) of the WW.
  7. Optimization Strategy: The final optimization run was performed at the lowest current density (300 A m-2) without supporting electrolyte, extending the treatment time to 14 h to achieve the target COD discharge limit (150 mg L-1).
  8. Analytical Techniques: Degradation kinetics were monitored using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Mineralization and organic load were tracked via Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and COD analysis. Ecotoxicity was assessed using the Daphtoxkit F microbiotest.

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

Section titled “6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities”

As an expert material scientist and technical sales engineer for 6CCVD, we recognize that the success of this research hinges entirely on the performance and stability of the Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) anode. 6CCVD specializes in providing custom, high-performance MPCVD diamond materials necessary to replicate, scale, and optimize this critical wastewater treatment technology.

Research Requirement / Challenge6CCVD Solution & CapabilityTechnical Advantage
High-Performance BDD AnodesCustom Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) Plates.Our MPCVD BDD offers precise control over boron doping levels, ensuring maximum electrochemical activity and stability for efficient hydroxyl radical (HO˚) generation, crucial for recalcitrant compound oxidation.
Industrial Scale-UpCustom Dimensions up to 125mm (PCD/BDD).The study used 10 cm2 electrodes. 6CCVD provides large-area plates and wafers, enabling the transition from lab-scale batch reactors to industrial flow-through cells required for high-volume WW treatment.
Optimizing Energy Consumption (Esp)Custom Thickness Control (0.1”m - 500”m BDD layer).We manufacture BDD layers with optimized thickness on conductive substrates (up to 10mm), allowing engineers to minimize internal resistance and reduce the high electric energy consumption (E = 292 kWh m-3) reported in the study.
Robust Electrical IntegrationIn-House Metalization Services (Au, Pt, Ti, W, Cu).We provide custom metal contacts and backing layers (e.g., Ti/Pt/Au stacks) directly onto the BDD material, ensuring low contact resistance and long-term durability in corrosive electrochemical environments.
Surface Quality & Fouling ResistancePrecision Polishing (Ra < 5nm for Inch-size PCD/BDD).Highly polished BDD surfaces minimize fouling caused by high organic loads and complex matrices (like WW), maintaining consistent current efficiency over extended operational periods.
Material Selection & Process DesignDedicated PhD Engineering Support.Our in-house team assists researchers and industrial partners in selecting the optimal BDD material grade and doping concentration to balance mineralization efficiency, cost, and longevity for similar Electrochemical Wastewater Treatment projects.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.

View Original Abstract

The electro-oxidation of recalcitrant compounds, phthalic acid, tyrosol, and catechin was studied in simulated and real winery wastewater samples using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode. In the simulated samples, catechin, although presenting a higher removal rate than that of phthalic acid and tyrosol, attained lower combustion efficiency, indicating that this compound is readily converted into other products rather than being completely oxidized. On the other hand, phthalic acid was easily mineralized. Regarding the electro-oxidation assays performed with the spiked winery wastewater, recalcitrant compounds and overall organic load removal rates increased with applied current density (j), but the removal efficiency of recalcitrant compounds decreased with the increase in j, and the specific energy consumption was significantly raised. The increase in treatment time showed to be a feasible solution for the WW treatment at lower j. After 14 h treatment at 300 A m−2, phthalic acid, tyrosol, and catechin removals above 99.9% were achieved, with a chemical oxygen demand removal of 98.3%. Moreover, the biodegradability index was increased to 0.99, and toxicity towards Daphnia magna was reduced 1.3-fold, showing that the electro-oxidation process using a BDD anode is a feasible solution for the treatment of winery wastewaters, including phthalic acid, tyrosol, and catechin degradation.

Tech Support

Section titled “Tech Support”

Original Source

Section titled “Original Source”

References

Section titled “References”
  1. 2021 - Advanced oxidation processes for the treatment of winery wastewater: A review and future perspectives [Crossref]
  2. 2018 - Treatment of winery wastewater by anodic oxidation using BDD electrode [Crossref]
  3. 2021 - Treatment of waste water from a winery with an advanced oxidation process (AOP) [Crossref]
  4. 2011 - Review: Winery wastewater quality and treatment options in Australia [Crossref]
  5. 2013 - Treatment of winery wastewater by electrochemical methods and advanced oxidation processes
  6. 2022 - Techno-economic assessment of zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems for sustainable treatment, minimization and valorization of seawater brine [Crossref]
  7. 2021 - Energetic, economic and environmental assessment of zero liquid discharge (ZLD) brackish water and seawater desalination systems [Crossref]
  8. 2008 - Treatment methods for wine-related and distillery wastewaters: A Review [Crossref]
  9. 2018 - Study on the composition of resistant organics in winery wastewater and their degradation technique [Crossref]

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