Indirect electrochemical degradation of acetaminophen: process performance, pollutant transformation, and matrix effects evaluation

Acetaminophen (ACE), a highly consumed pharmaceutical, was degraded in aqueous matrices by reactive chlorine species (RCS) electrogenerated using Ti/IrO2 electrodes. Although this pollutant has been extensively treated electrochemical techniques, little information is known about its degradation fresh urine RCS, and the understanding of transformations analyses atomic charge. In work, these two topics were discussed. Initially, effect current (10-40 mA) supporting electrolyte (considering typical ions present surface water (Cl- SO42-)) on system evaluated. Then, kinetics primary products involved elimination ACE described. It found that, distilled water, process at 40 mA NaCl presence led to 100 % (10 min, 0.056 Ah L-1). Theoretical charge for indicated that amide group most susceptible attacks RCS such as HOCl. On other hand, acetaminophen synthetic slower (21% after 60 min treatment) than water. This attributed substances matrix, which induce competition degrading RCS.