2,4-Dichlorophenol removal from water using an electrochemical method improved by a composite molecularly imprinted membrane/bipolar membrane

Abstract Low efficiency is often a problem in electrochemical reductive hydrodechlorination (ERHD) to remove chlorinated compounds such as 2,4-dichlorophenol (24DCP) from water. In this study, a composite molecularly imprinted membrane (MIM)/bipolar membrane (BPM) was introduced onto a palladium-coated titanium mesh electrode (BPM/MIM@Pd/Ti) to increase the concentration of 24DCP on the surface of electrode and ERHD efficiency. The efficiency of ERHD of 24DCP increased from 70 to 88% by introduction of the two membranes, from 71 to 89% by increasing current density from 5.0 to 30 mA/cm 2 , and from 80 to 94% by increasing the electrolyte concentration from 0.25 to 1.00 mol/L. Treatment with Fenton’s reagent after ERHD achieved 100% 24DCP removal, with chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon reductions of 91 and 87%, respectively. Notably, these reductions were greater than obtained from the direct oxidation of the 24DCP solution by Fenton’s reagent alone (i.e., 98, 84, and 72%, respectively). No products were detected in solution by GC–MS after treatment with the proposed combination technology. The mechanism of 24DCP removal and degradation involved adsorption, electrochemical hydrodechlorination via H ads , and Fenton oxidation. Results show the process has high potential for removing 24DCP from aqueous solution.