Electrochemical oxidation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in polluted concrete of the residential buildings

By A?imovi?, Danka D.; Kari?, Slavko D.; Nikoli?,
Published in Environmental Pollution NULL 2017

Abstract

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and by the European Community as priority environmental pollutants. The removal of {PAHs} from soils, sediments and waste water has attracted attention of scientists and engineers for several decades. Electrochemical oxidation of {PAH} compounds in water, is receiving increasing attention, due to its convenience and simplicity. In this study we performed electrochemical oxidation of 16 {EPA} {PAHs} mixture in 10% NaCl aqueous solution in potentiostatic conditions, at voltage 1 V. Decrease of concentration of some individual PAHs, up to 70% referred to their starting concentration, after 60 min of electrolysis, was confirmed by UPLC/PDA analysis. In further work investigation was extrapolated to in situ removal of {PAHs} from concrete, as the medium where, to our knowledge, such way of {PAH} removal has not been investigated before. High concentrations of {PAH} contamination occurred in the concrete structure of the residential buildings in Belgrade in 2014. Application of {DC} voltage of 50 V between nickel and stainless steel electrodes packed in the concrete wall, moisturized with the 10% NaCl solution, led to considerable removal of the pollutants by oxidation process throughout the concrete.

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