Degradation of Rhodamine B by UV-Assisted Dynamic Diaphragm Electrocatalytic System: Efficiency Improvement and Mechanism Study

The problem of water shortage is becoming increasingly serious. Looking for efficient and environmentally friendly water treatment technology has become the focus of today’s municipal engineering field. The ultraviolet-assisted electrocatalytic system is considered to be a new and efficient process. In this study, ultraviolet radiation was introduced into the self-made double-chamber dynamic diaphragm system electrolytic cell, and the synergistic effect of electrocatalytic reaction and ultraviolet radiation was used to achieve efficient degradation of rhodamine B. The effects of initial concentration, electrolytic voltage, and electrolyte concentration on the degradation efficiency were further studied. The optimal conditions were established by statistical methods such as the response surface method. After 60 min, the decolorization rate of rhodamine B in the positive and negative chambers of the electrolytic cell reached more than 98%. In addition, the intermediate products in the degradation process were analyzed by LC-MS to explore the degradation mechanism of rhodamine B. The experimental results show that the UV-assisted electrocatalytic membrane system process has potential in the field of water treatment and provides a new and efficient treatment scheme for solving the problem of water shortage. Graphical Abstract