A sunlight assisted dual purpose photoelectrochemical cell for low voltage removal of heavy metals and organic pollutants in wastewater

Chen, George Z.; Kim, Gwangjun; Igunnu, Ebenezer

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical cells that consisted of a Pt (small cells) or Ti (large cells) cathode and a sunlight responsive WO3 photoanode were built for simultaneous removal of heavy metal ions and organic pollutants. Synthetic wastewater samples containing 0.5 M of NaCl, 10 ppm of methylene blue (MB, organic pollutant), 500 ppm of Cu2+ or 500 ppm Ni2+ were tested as the first examples for demonstration of the principle, device and process. The results showed that upon irradiation of simulated sunlight on the photoanode, metal ions (Cu2+ and Ni2+) can be recovered as metals or hydroxide at the cathode. MB was simultaneously decomposed at the photoanode without using any additional chemicals as sacrificial agents. The cell voltage required for this dual purpose process was as much as 71% or 60% lower than that required for conventional electrodeposition of Cu or Ni respectively with an inert anode. Charge efficiency was close to 100% for the cathodic processes, and over 70% for the photoanodic degradation of MB through a combined mechanism of partial oxidation and mineralisation according to UV–Vis spectroscopic evidence and reaction pathway analysis.

Citation

Chen, G. Z., Kim, G., & Igunnu, E. (2014). A sunlight assisted dual purpose photoelectrochemical cell for low voltage removal of heavy metals and organic pollutants in wastewater. Chemical Engineering Journal, 244, 411-421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2014.01.090

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 28, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Feb 4, 2014
• Publication Date: May 15, 2014
• Deposit Date: Sep 13, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 29, 2019
• Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal
• Print ISSN: 1385-8947
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-5606
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 244
• Pages: 411-421
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2014.01.090
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1095316
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1385894714001156
• Related Public URLs: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2014.01.090
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: A sunlight assisted dual purpose photoelectrochemical cell for low voltage removal of heavy metals and organic pollutants in wastewater; Journal Title: Chemical Engineering Journal; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2014.01.090
• Contract Date: Mar 29, 2019