Semi-empirical chemical model for indirect advanced oxidation of Acid Orange 7 using an unmodified carbon fabric cathode for H2O2 production in an electrochemical reactor.

A commercial Unidirectional Carbon Fabric piece was used to design an electrode for the cathodic O2 reduction reaction in a divided (by a Nafion(®) 117 membrane) parallel plate reactor. The anode was a commercial stainless steel mesh. Under this approach it is feasible to produce H2O2 at low energy (2.08 kWh kg(-1) H2O2) in low ionic acidic medium. In the catholyte side the H2O2 can be activated with Fe(2+) to develop the Fenton reagent. It was found that Acid Orange 7 (AO7) indirect oxidation (in the concentration range of 0.12-0.24 mM) by Fenton chemistry follows a first order kinetic equation. The energy required for 0.24 mM AO7 degradation is 1.04 kWhm(-3). From each experimental AO7 oxidation the main parameters (a, mM and k, min(-1)) of the first order kinetic equation are obtained. These parameters can be correlated with AO7 concentration in the concentration range studied. Based on this method a semi-empirical chemical model was developed to predict the AO7 abatement, by means of Fenton chemistry. Good AO7 oxidation predictions can be made in the concentration range studied. A detailed discussion of the energy required for oxidizing AO7 and the accuracy of the chemical model to predict its oxidation is included in this paper.