Development and Use of a Real-time In-situ Monitoring Tool for Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes

An apparatus for real-time in-situ monitoring of electrochemical advanced oxidation processes using visible spectrophotometry has been developed. Central to the design is a 3D-printed sleeve that interfaces commercially available electrochemical and spectrophotometry units. Using the anodic oxidation of Acid Orange 7 as a test bed, the apparatus has been used for probing the impact of varying electrode composition, current density, electrolyte concentration, and stirring speed on the rate of decolorization. In addition, the unit was used to prove that decolorization can continue after electrolysis has been stopped, thereby showing the inherent value of real-time monitoring. Given that a significant challenge in the field of advanced oxidation processes is the inability to compare different reported systems, our approach, using commercially available equipment and a printable interface may open avenues for more standardized data collection.