Water Purification

Electrochemical methods like electrocoagulation (EC) can remove a vast array of compounds from wastewater but are not ideal for emerging pollutants found at low concentrations (ng/L to μg/L). In contrast, enzymes are known to effectively target these pollutants, but their performance can be hindered in complex water matrices. This work explores a biocatalytic treatment assisted by electrochemical processes to remove two emerging pollutants, Bisphenol A (BPA) and Triclosan (TCS) from municipal wastewater.

This work aims to study the degradation of commonly used pharmaceutical contaminants in Chile through the Heterogeneous Solar Photo-Fenton process, utilizing nanometric-sized spinel ferrites as catalysts. Specifically, manganese ferrites (MnFe₂O₄), copper ferrites (CuFe₂O₄), and cobalt ferrites (CoFe₂O₄) will be synthesized, along with graphene-supported ferrite composites. The size, chemical composition, and morphology of these nanomaterials will be characterized.

The widespread use of synthetic dyes has led to the release of substantial amounts of dye-contaminated wastewater, posing significant environmental and health concerns. This study focuses on the use of anodic and electrochemically activated persulfate oxidation for the degradation of organic contaminants. Specifically, the structural variations of nine dyes in the indigoid and azo families, and their impact on the efficiency of electrochemical oxidation were analyzed. An in situ continuous monitoring apparatus with a UV-visible detector was employed to collect data in real-time.