A Sustainable Electrochemical-Based Solution for Removing Acetamiprid from Water

At a Glance

Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2023-10-04
Journal	Applied Sciences
Authors	Alana Maria Nunes de Morais, Danyelle Medeiros de Araújo, Inalmar D. Barbosa Segundo, Elisama Vieira dos Santos, Suely S.L. Castro
Institutions	Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
Citations	23
Analysis	Full AI Review Included

Technical Analysis Brief: High-Efficiency Electrochemical Oxidation of Acetamiprid using BDD Anodes

Prepared for: Environmental Engineering and Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) Researchers Source Paper: A Sustainable Electrochemical-Based Solution for Removing Acetamiprid from Water (Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 10963) Focus: Demonstrating the superior performance of Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) anodes in wastewater remediation.

Executive Summary

This research confirms the critical role of Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) anodes in achieving high-efficiency electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) for persistent organic pollutant (POP) removal.

Superior Material Performance: BDD (non-active anode) significantly outperformed the $\text{TiO}_2-\text{RuO}_2-\text{IrO}_2$ (DSA, active anode) in the degradation of Acetamiprid (ACT) insecticide.
Rapid Degradation Kinetics: ACT was quickly eliminated at the BDD anode (disappearance in 5 minutes at 30 $\text{mg L}^{-1}$ concentration) across all tested current densities, compared to 120 minutes required by the DSA anode.
High Mineralization Efficiency: BDD achieved a Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal efficiency of 71.4% in 60 minutes (at 90 $\text{mA cm}^{-2}$), substantially higher than the 47.5% achieved by DSA under identical conditions.
Mechanism Confirmation: BDD’s high oxygen evolution potential (+1.7 V vs. Ag/AgCl) favors the generation of free hydroxyl radicals and sulfate-based oxidants, ensuring complete mineralization without generating absorptive by-products.
Application Validation: The study validates BDD as the optimal electrocatalytic material for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) targets related to water quality and wastewater treatment.
6CCVD Value Proposition: 6CCVD provides the high-quality, custom-dimension MPCVD BDD required to replicate and scale this highly efficient electrochemical remediation technology.

Technical Specifications

The following hard data points were extracted from the study detailing the comparative performance and operating conditions:

Parameter	Value	Unit	Context
Anode Materials Tested	BDD, $\text{TiO}_2-\text{RuO}_2-\text{IrO}_2$	N/A	Non-active vs. Dimensionally Stable Anode (DSA)
Initial ACT Concentration (High)	300	$\text{mg L}^{-1}$	Used for COD decay analysis
Optimal Applied Current Density ($j$)	90	$\text{mA cm}^{-2}$	Selected to limit energy consumption and avoid excessive oxygen evolution reaction (o.e.r.)
BDD COD Removal (60 min)	71.4	%	At 300 $\text{mg L}^{-1}$ ACT, 90 $\text{mA cm}^{-2}$
DSA COD Removal (60 min)	47.5	%	At 300 $\text{mg L}^{-1}$ ACT, 90 $\text{mA cm}^{-2}$
BDD ACT Degradation Time (30 $\text{mg L}^{-1}$)	5	min	Time for characteristic absorption band disappearance
DSA ACT Degradation Time (30 $\text{mg L}^{-1}$)	120	min	Time for characteristic absorption band disappearance (at low $j$)
BDD Oxygen Evolution Potential	+1.7	V vs. Ag/AgCl	Confirms non-active behavior, favoring $\text{OH}$ radical production
DSA Oxygen Evolution Potential	+1.2	V vs. Ag/AgCl	Confirms active behavior, favoring direct conversion and o.e.r.
Supporting Electrolyte	0.5 $\text{mol L}^{-1}$ $\text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4$	N/A	Promotes electrosynthesis of sulfate-based oxidants
Electrode Geometrical Area	18	$\text{cm}^{2}$	Used for laboratory-scale batch cell experiments

Key Methodologies

The electrochemical oxidation (EO) experiments were conducted under controlled batch conditions to compare the electrocatalytic activity of the two anode types.

Electrolytic System Setup: A single-sharing electrochemical cell was used, containing 500 mL of the ACT solution under magnetic stirring.
Electrode Configuration: The anodes tested were BDD and a commercial DSA ($\text{TiO}_2-\text{RuO}_2-\text{IrO}_2$). A titanium plate served as the cathode. Both electrodes had a geometrical area of approximately 18 $\text{cm}^{2}$.
Solution Preparation: Synthetic effluents were prepared using distilled water with ACT concentrations of 30 $\text{mg L}^{-1}$ and 300 $\text{mg L}^{-1}$. Sodium sulfate ($\text{Na}_2\text{SO}_4$) (0.5 $\text{mol L}^{-1}$) was used as the supporting electrolyte.
Current Application: Experiments were performed by applying constant current densities ($j$) ranging from 30, 60, 90, and 120 $\text{mA cm}^{-2}$ using a power supply.
Monitoring and Analysis:
- ACT decay was monitored via UV-Vis Spectrophotometry (detection wavelength 245 nm).
- Mineralization efficiency was tracked using Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) analysis (0-1500 ppm range).
- Linear polarization curves were generated at 100 $\text{mV s}^{-1}$ to determine the oxygen evolution potential of each anode material.

6CCVD Solutions & Capabilities

This research unequivocally highlights the necessity of high-quality Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) for efficient electrochemical wastewater treatment. 6CCVD is uniquely positioned to supply the advanced MPCVD diamond materials required to replicate, optimize, and scale this technology.

Applicable Materials

To achieve the high COD removal efficiencies (71.4%) and rapid degradation kinetics demonstrated in this study, researchers require robust, high-purity BDD.

Material Recommendation: Heavy Boron-Doped PCD (Polycrystalline Diamond) Wafers/Plates.
- Rationale: MPCVD PCD/BDD offers the necessary non-active surface properties and high charge carrier density to maximize hydroxyl radical generation, ensuring complete mineralization of recalcitrant POPs like Acetamiprid.
Thickness & Dimensions: 6CCVD provides BDD layers up to 500 $\text{µm}$ thick, mounted on conductive substrates (up to 10mm thick) for mechanical stability in industrial reactors.

Customization Potential

The study utilized specific 18 $\text{cm}^{2}$ electrodes. 6CCVD’s manufacturing flexibility supports both R&D and industrial scale-up requirements.

Research Requirement	6CCVD Solution & Capability	Sales Advantage
Custom Electrode Dimensions	Plates/wafers up to 125mm (PCD/BDD)	We provide custom laser cutting and shaping to match specific reactor geometries, enabling seamless transition from lab-scale (18 $\text{cm}^{2}$) to pilot-scale systems.
Electrode Integration	In-house Metalization Services (Ti, Pt, Au, W, Cu)	Essential for creating low-resistance, stable electrical contacts necessary for high current density operation (up to 120 $\text{mA cm}^{-2}$) in corrosive electrolytes.
Surface Finish	Polishing Services (Ra < 5nm for Inch-size PCD)	Optimized surface morphology ensures uniform current distribution and enhanced electrocatalytic efficiency, maximizing the active surface area for radical generation.

Engineering Support

The paper noted that the high cost of BDD treatment needs further investigation for implementation. 6CCVD addresses this challenge by providing materials optimized for energy efficiency.

Expert Consultation: 6CCVD’s in-house PhD team specializes in electrochemical applications and can assist engineers in selecting the optimal BDD doping level and thickness to minimize energy consumption (kWh $\text{m}^{-3}$) while maintaining high COD removal rates.
Scale-Up Strategy: We offer consultation on reactor design and material integration for scaling up Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes (EAOPs) for industrial wastewater treatment and POPs removal projects.
Global Logistics: We ensure reliable, global shipping (DDU default, DDP available) of sensitive diamond materials, supporting international research and industrial deployment.

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

View Original Abstract

Pesticides are used worldwide in agriculture to prevent insects and other pests that attack plants and their derivatives. Acetamiprid (ACT) is a type of insecticide belonging to the chemical group of neonicotinoids, which are widely used in agricultural planting to replace organophosphates. Therefore, in this work, the performance of the electrochemical oxidation (EO) process as an alternative solution to eliminate pesticides in water was evaluated. A dimensionally stable anode (DSA, TiO2-RuO2-IrO2) and boron-doped diamond (BDD) were tested as anodes for degrading ACT (30 and 300 mg L−1) by using different applied current densities (j): 30, 60, 90, and 120 mA cm−2. The degradation process was monitored by using ACT decay, spectrophotometric analysis, and chemical oxygen demand. The results clearly showed that ACT (30 mg L−1) was only eliminated from water at the DSA electrode when 90 mA cm−2 was applied, reaching higher removal efficiencies after 180 min of electrolysis. Conversely, ACT was quickly removed at all applied current densities used, at the same concentration. On the other hand, when the ACT concentration was increased (300 mg L−1), 71.4% of the COD removal was reached by applying 90 mA cm−2 using BDD, while no significant improvements were achieved at the DSA electrode when a higher concentration of ACT was electrochemically treated.

Tech Support

Original Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app131910963

References

2020 - Electrochemical Oxidation of the Pesticide Nitenpyram Using a Gd-PbO2 Anode: Operation Parameter Optimization and Degradation Mechanism [Crossref]
2020 - A Review on the Photoelectro-Fenton Process as Efficient Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation for Wastewater Remediation. Treatment with UV Light, Sunlight, and Coupling with Conventional and Other Photo-Assisted Advanced Technologies [Crossref]
2021 - Finding a Suitable Treatment Solution for a Leachate from a Non-Hazardous Industrial Solid Waste Landfill [Crossref]
2018 - Electro-Fenton Catalyzed with Magnetic Chitosan Beads for the Removal of Chlordimeform Insecticide [Crossref]
2019 - Worldwide Pesticide Usage and Its Impacts on Ecosystem [Crossref]
2009 - Decontamination of Wastewaters Containing Synthetic Organic Dyes by Electrochemical Methods: A General Review [Crossref]
2022 - Highly Porous Seeding-Free Boron-Doped Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Used as High-Performance Anode for Electrochemical Removal of Carbaryl from Water [Crossref]
2023 - A Critical Review on Latest Innovations and Future Challenges of Electrochemical Technology for the Abatement of Organics in Water [Crossref]
2020 - Development of a Treatment Train for the Remediation of a Hazardous Industrial Waste Landfill Leachate: A Big Challenge [Crossref]