Performance of electrochemical oxidation and photocatalysis in terms of kinetics and energy consumption. New insights into the p-cresol degradation

This work reports the comparative performance of two Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs), electrochemical oxidation and photocatalysis, as individual technological alternatives for the treatment of effluents containing p-cresol. First, the influence of operating parameters in the oxidation and mineralization yield was carried out together with kinetic analysis. Boron Doped Diamond (BDD), RuO2 and Pt as anodic materials, Na2SO4 and NaCl as supporting electrolytes and different current densities were evaluated in electrochemical oxidation whereas the effect of TiO2 concentration and radiation was studied in the photocatalytic degradation. Then, the parameter Electrical Energy per Order (EEO) was calculated to compare the energy consumption in both AOPs, concluding that under the studied conditions the electrochemical treatment with BDD, Na2SO4 and 125 A m−2 showed the best energy efficiency, with an EEO of 5.83 kW h m−3 order−1 for p-cresol and 58.05 kW h m−3 order−1 for DOC removal, respectively. [Display omitted] •p-cresol electrochemical oxidation in terms of anode, electrolyte and current density.•TiO2 loading and radiation on p-cresol photocatalytic oxidation in a LED reactor.•Comparison of kinetic effectiveness and energy consumption of p-cresol treatments.