Francisco J. Rodríguez-Valadez

Electrocatalytic Activity of Three Carbon Materials for the In-situ Production of Hydrogen Peroxide and Its Application to the Electro-Fenton Heterogeneous Process

Abstract The in-situ generation of hydrogen peroxide in the electro-Fenton process is paramount. For this reason, in this research the electrocatalytic activity of three carbon materials was evaluated in the reaction of oxygen reduction via two electrons. Furthermore, in order to eliminate the use of iron salts in solution (homogeneous process), the iron was electrodeposited on the surface of the carbon material and was applied in a heterogeneous electro-Fenton process for the degradation of methyl orange dye. The largest amount of generated H2O2 was achieved with the Carbon Felt (CF) electrode (460 mg L−1) without iron after 60 minutes. The electrodes with electrodeposited iron were characterized by SEM and EDS, which showed that the surface of the Carbon Sponge (CS) electrode had the largest amount of iron (23.84 %). However, the CF electrode showed a greater and faster degradation of the dye (98 %) after 30 minutes of treatment. The CF material was the best and most-viable choice of material compared to the CS and Carbon Cloth (CC) for industrial application in electro-Fenton processes, due to its greater catalytic activity in the production of H2O2, uniform distribution of iron, more efficient TOC removal and lower cost per cm2 of material.

Iron Supported on Ion Exchange Resin as Source of Iron for Fenton Reagent: A Heterogeneous or a Homogeneous Fenton Reagent Generation?

Abstract The aim of this work is to discuss the relative contribution of homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton processes in the treatment of Orange II dye solutions at pH 3 and 7 using an ion exchange resin as iron support. While at pH 3, 99% of the colour was removed, under neutral conditions a decoloration of 56% was observed. Studying the release of iron from the resin, we found a concentration of 1.49 mg/L of ferric ion and 0.31 mg/L of ferrous ion at pH 3 and 1.08 mg/L and 0.11 mg/L at pH 7, revealing that as expected, dissolution of iron ions at pH 3 is larger. Using these concentrations in a homogeneous process, 45% of the colour can be removed at pH 3 and 10% at pH 7, so it was infered that there is an effect of the iron that is still supported on the resin. In this way, a mixed homogeneous/heterogeneous mechanism could be proposed. While the experimental data for the desorption of iron at pH 3 was well suited to a pseudo second order kinetic model, the desorption of iron at pH 7 was fit to pseudo-first order kinetics. Experimental results of dye decolorization were on the other hand, fitted to a pseudo first order kinetics.

Assessment of the quality and toxicity of the discharges of a wastewater treatment plant and alternatives to improve its operation.

Wastewater discharges into freshwater bodies represent a serious ecological problem worldwide. In underdeveloped and developing countries wastewater treatment plants (WTP) only count with basic treatment, leading to the pollution of important aquatic reservoirs causing critical situations. In the present work, a one year evaluation of toxicity and main physical and chemical parameters of one of the major WTP of the state of Aguascalientes was conducted fortnightly, and to assess treatment alternatives for this WTP we tested: a) three white rot fungi (WRF), b) a photo-electrochemical process, c) ion-exchangers resins and activated carbon. The 3 WRF exhibited high COD removal from influents (72 – 95 %) but only Phanerochaete chrysosporium reached significant toxicity removals (70 and 55 %, for an influent and an effluent, respectively). Treatments with electrochemical advanced oxidation processes resulted with the highest toxicity and COD removals (96 % for both parameters) in comparison to biological and physicochemical treatments. Adsorption with activated carbon, zeolite and chelex ion-exchange resins removed 60 – 90 % of COD and 60 – 99 % toxicity. These results could be used to improve operation of the Industrial Park WTP and to plan future modifications to the plant.

Novel arrangement for an electro-Fenton reactor that does not require addition of iron, acid and a final neutralization stage. Towards the development of a cost-effective technology for the treatment of wastewater

A novel arrangement for an electro-Fenton reactor aimed to treat neutral wastewater is presented. The arrangement consists on three-compartments in series, two of them packed with a cation exchange resin and one positioned between these, containing a polarized activated carbon column where the electrochemical generation of the Fenton reagent takes place. While the hydroxyl radicals electrochemically produced in-situ, react with the pollutant species adsorbed on the activated carbon cathode, the resin compartments administrate and collect the iron cation and the hydrated proton species in alternating flow direction cycles. The resulting process is a system that does not require acid or iron chemical addition to the process while at the same time, renders decontaminated water free of iron-dissolved species at neutral pH. The proposed electrochemical reactor arrangement is therefore the basis for the design of commercially viable electro-Fenton reactors in which the addition and subsequent removal of acid and iron chemicals is avoided; two of the currently most limiting features for the development of electro-Fenton technology for treating wastewater.

Evaluation of Yarrowia lipolytica Oil for Biodiesel Production: Land Use Oil Yield, Carbon, and Energy Balance

Oils from yeasts have emerged as a suitable alternative raw material to produce biodiesel, due to their similar composition to common raw materials such as vegetable oils. Additionally, they have the advantage of not competing with human or animal feed, and, furthermore, they do not compete for arable land. In this work, a carbon and energy balance was evaluated for Yarrowia lipolytica as a model yeast, using crude glycerol from biodiesel as the only carbon source, which improves biodiesel overall yield by 6%. The process presented a positive energy balance. Feasibility of yeast oil as biodiesel substrate was also evaluated by determination of the lipid fatty acid profile and cetane number. Moreover, a comparison of oil yields, in terms of land use, between vegetable, microalgae, and yeast oils is also presented. The results showed that Y. lipolytica oil yield is considerably higher than vegetable oils (767 times) and microalgae (36 times).

Study of different carbon materials for their use as bioanodes in microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are capable of removing the organic matter contained in water while generating a certain amount of electrical power at the same time. One of the most important aspects in the operation of MFCs is the formation of biofilms on the anode. Here, we report the characterization of different carbon electrodes and biofilm using a rapid and easy methodology for the growth of biofilms. The biofilms were developed and generated a voltage in less than 4 days, obtaining a maximum of 0.3 V in the cells. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that growth of the biofilm was only on the surface of the electrode, and consequently both carbon cloth Electrochem and carbon cloth Roe materials showed a greater quantity of volatile solids on the surface of the anode and power density. The results suggested that the best support was carbon cloth Electrochem because it generated a power density of 13.4 mW/m(2) and required only a few hours for the formation of the biofilm.