Study of electrochemical removal of phenanthrene in bentonite clay by physicochemical indicators

Abstract Bentonite was used as model clay to evaluate the electrochemical degradation and removal of phenanthrene in clay-soils, by applying a dimensionally stable electrode. Gas chromatography couple to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used to identify and analyze the post-treatment greases and oils extracted from bentonite. Phenanthrene removal and the products generated by its degradation were evaluated indirectly in bentonite after the process, using physicochemical parameters such as pH, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity and zeta potential clay substrate. An acidic front close to the IrO 2 –Ta 2 O 5 |Ti anode was formed in the presence of OH free radicals. As a result, the physicochemical soil parameters changed throughout the electrochemical cell. The results show that phenantrene was removed from bentonite and degraded after 4 h of electrokinetic treatment in presence of 0.1 M NaOH.