Highly efficient electrocatalytic degradation of methylparaben using BiO x-doped Ti/ β-PbO 2 anode: Comprehensive electrochemical study and degradation mechanism

Electrochemical degradation of methylparaben ( MPB ) was successfully performed using Ti/ beta -PbO 2 -BiO x anode. The structure of the fabricated electrode was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and mapping techniques. The results confirmed the successful preparation of the electrode with favorable morphological and structural properties. This research includes optimization of operating parameters such as solution pH, applied current density, initial MPB concentration and electrolysis time. The results indicate that the prepared electrode has high electrochemical performance and thermal stability. Under optimal conditions, current density of 4.8 mA/cm 2 , pH = 5 and initial concentration of 0.5 mM, the maximum degradation efficiency of 98.9 % was obtained. In this work, also, based on the data obtained from LC-MS analysis, a detailed mechanism for the degradation of MPB was proposed. In another section of this research, the electrochemical behavior of MPB on glassy carbon electrode was comprehensively studied using cyclic voltammetry at different pH values. The data obtained from this study provide significant insight into the electrochemical behavior of MPB , its pH-dependent properties and adsorption activities. The results of this section can also be used to better optimize the conditions of MPB degradation.