Electrochemical characterization of some electrode materials for pharmaceutically active compounds degradation [articol]

Abstract

The aim of this paper was the electrochemical characterization of Dimensionally Stable Anodes (DSA), Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) and expanded graphite-silver doped zeolite-epoxy composite (EG-Z-Ag-Epoxi) electrodes for ibuprofen (IBP) electrooxidation. IBP is one of the pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) that belongs to anti-inflammatory drugs and has in its structure an aromatic ring. The morphological data regarding the electrode materials were obtained by recording scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The electrochemical characterization of the electrode materials was carried out by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The supporting electrolyte in CV experiments was 0.1 M Na2SO4. The cyclic voltammograms recorded in the potential range - 0.5 V → + 1.5 V vs. SCE in the presence and absence of IBP revealed that the oxidation process at DSA electrodes and BDD could occur under simultaneous O2evolution, and no oxidation peak was evidenced. The voltammetric response of EG-Z-Ag-Epoxi electrode recorded in the potential range - 0.5 V → + 1.25 V vs. SCE showed an oxidation peak before the oxygen evolution and another one in the potential range of oxygen evolution. These findings proved that the oxidation of IBP on the EG-Z-Ag-Epoxi electrode occurred in two steps.