CHAPTER 16: Electrochemical Disinfection with Boron Doped Diamond Electrodes and Reduction of Electrolysis By-Products

Environmental pollution is a growing challenge for water utilities. Even today organic compounds are not always efficiently removed during water treatment. For more than 20 years boron doped diamond electrodes (BDD) have been well known for electrochemical processes with very high oxidative power. Using such an electrochemical advanced oxidation process makes it possible to degrade organic compounds, but due to the high oxidative power of BDD electrodes there is a potential risk for the generation of electrolysis by-products (EBP) such as bromate or chlorate as well as halogenated organic compounds (AOX). This investigation presents some applications of BDD for disinfection, recycling and wastewater treatment processes in different water types by modification of BDD composition and structure. Changing relevant parameters in the production process of BDD electrodes result in different BDD films with crystal structure modification and specific electrochemical properties. Characterization of the production rate of ozone and by-products demonstrates that by-product generation can be significantly suppressed, and parameters for improved modifications are identified.