UV-irradiation and BDD-based photoelectrolysis for the treatment of halosulfuron-methyl herbicide

Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

This paper reports the development of a novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) oxidation technique based on UV-C irradiation and boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode and its application for the effective removal of the commercial herbicide halosulfuron-methyl (HSM). The study evaluated the influence of the following key operating variables in the photoelectrochemical process: current density, pH, temperature, and initial HSM concentration. With regard to HSM degradation/mineralization, the application of high current densities was found to be more advantageous once it promoted a more rapid degradation and mineralization, with 96% of total organic carbon removal, though the process became more energy-demanding over time. The initial concentration of HSM did not modify the relative degradation rate, though the degradation process became more efficient as expected in a mass-transfer controlled process. The use of acidic pH (pH 3) was found to be more suitable than neutral conditions; this is probably because an anionic resonant form of HSM may be formed in neutral conditions. The temperature level was also found to affect the rate of HSM removal and the degradation efficiency. Finally, the substitution of Na2SO4 by NaCl promoted a more rapid and effective degradation; this is attributed to high production of powerful oxidants. However, only 70% mineralization was reached after 3 h of treatment; this is probably related to the formation of recalcitrant chlorinated sub-products.

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Data and materials availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files).

Funding

The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by the Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF, processes n. 0193-000.714/2016 and n. 0193-000.236/2014), Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development - CNPq (grants no. 465571/2014-0, 302874/2017-8 and 427452/2018-0), São Paulo Research Foundation – FAPESP (grants #2014/50945-4 and #2017/10118-0), and for the scholarship awarded to Beatriz Rodrigues Pinto (process 23006.001141/2017-41) by the Pro-Rectory of Research at UFABC.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Center for Human and Natural Sciences, Federal University of ABC, CEP 09210-580, Avenida dos Estados, Santo André, SP, 5001, Brazil

    Beatriz Rodrigues Pinto & Fernanda de Lourdes Souza

  2. Institute of Chemistry, University of Brasília, CEP 71605-00, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Jose Joaquin Linares

  3. São Carlos Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, P.O. Box 780, CEP 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Marcos Roberto de Vasconcelos Lanza

Authors
  1. Beatriz Rodrigues Pinto
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  2. Jose Joaquin Linares
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  3. Marcos Roberto de Vasconcelos Lanza
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  4. Fernanda de Lourdes Souza
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Contributions

B. R. Pinto: investigator; data curation; methodology

J. J. Linares: conceptualization; roles/writing-original draft; review and editing

M. R. V. Lanza: validation; review and editing; funding acquisition

F.L. Souza: funding acquisition, supervision, methodology, writing-review and editing, validation

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Correspondence to Fernanda de Lourdes Souza.

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Rodrigues Pinto, B., Linares, J.J., de Vasconcelos Lanza, M.R. et al. UV-irradiation and BDD-based photoelectrolysis for the treatment of halosulfuron-methyl herbicide. Environ Sci Pollut Res (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12603-8

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Keywords

  • Boron-doped diamond
  • UV irradiation
  • Operating parameters
  • Halosulfuron-methyl
  • Photoelectrolysis
  • PEC