The use of Ion Chromatography in the monitoring of degradation products from the electrochemical treatment of organic compounds

Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes (EAOPs) has been extensively developed as alternative treatment for removal hazardous species, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from water, wastewater, soil, landfill leachate and effluents of industrial plants. EAOPs are defined as hydroxyl radical (·OH)-mediated electro- chemical treatments, where pollutants are destroyed by electro- generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ·OH radical is a very powerful oxidizing agent that reacts with organic molecules resulting, in most cases, their complete mineralization to CO2, water and inorganic ions. However, it is necessary to evaluate process to guarantee that the generated by-products are not potentially dangerous for disposal in the environment.

Since IC was first introduced in 1975, it has replaced most of the wet chemical methods used in water analysis and has been recognized as a green analytical method. IC is a well-known technique for trace determination of inorganic ions and small organic acids, and can be the method of choice to determine active ingredients, excipients, and traces of impurities, as well as metabolites and by-products of organic and inorganic substances. Sample matrix interfering effects can be avoided by using the right sample prep or choosing a suitable detection method. We will present the recent advances in EAOPs, together with the analytical techniques used in the monitoring of the generated compounds, with emphasis on the ion chromatography technique as the main technique to be applied in this type of study.

Presenter: Emily Cintia Tossi de Araújo Costa (PhD, Núcleo de Processamento Primário e Reuso de Água Produzida – NUPPRAR/UFRN (Brazil)

Emily earned her PhD in Chemistry from UFRN - BRAZIL. She is currently a Researcher at the Núcleo de Processamento Primário e Reuso de Água Produzida – NUPPRAR/UFRN. Specialist in Analytical Chemistry, with emphasis on Analytical Instrumentation through Ion Chromatography (IC) and Liquid Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry - LC-MS/MS, working on the following topics: determination of anions and cations by Ion Chromatography in environmental matrices and the oil industry, environmental monitoring and also in the development of new methodologies in IC, HPLC and LC-MS/MS in environmental matrices and in hydrocarbons from renewable sources.