Kinetic Study of Electrochemical Treatment of Berberine Wastewater with Pt/Ti Anode

Electrochemical process was applied to the treatment of berberine pharmaceutical wastewater. The degradation kinetics of berberine was studied, and the effects of anode, bias potential, initial pH and Cl^- concentration on the berberine degradation were discussed. The results showed that the degradation of berberine on four anodes including Pt/Ti followed the pseudo-first order kinetics; electro-generated active chlorine played an important role on the degradation of berberine, anodic bias and initial Cl^- concentrations were the control factors of berberine degradation; under the optimal conditions of bias potential of 2.0-2.5 V, initial pH of 5.0-9.0 and Cl^- concentration of 0.10 mol/L, the pseudo-first order kinetic constant kept high. Berberine was easily degraded into organic acid or other small molecular compounds, and the removal efficiency of berberine reached above 90%.