Citation: Feng Xu, Ziqi Ning, Donghua Zhang, Chunlong Dai, Qinxue Wen, Fengxia Deng, Bo Lai, Zhiqiang Chen. Mechanism and pathway for the electrocatalytic degradation of an organic phosphine scale inhibitor by a novel Ti/IrO₂-RuO₂(Bi+[Emim]BF₄) electrode[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(10): 112435. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2026.112435 shu

Mechanism and pathway for the electrocatalytic degradation of an organic phosphine scale inhibitor by a novel Ti/IrO₂-RuO₂(Bi+[Emim]BF₄) electrode

Feng Xu ^a ,
Ziqi Ning ^a ,
Donghua Zhang ^b ,
Chunlong Dai ^b ,
Qinxue Wen ^a ,
Fengxia Deng ^a ,
Bo Lai ^c ,
Zhiqiang Chen ^{a, *,}

a.
School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150006, China
b.
Shandong Long ’an Tai Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Weifang 260000, China
c.
State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China

czqhit@hit.edu.cn

Received Date: 17 September 2025
Revised Date: 23 November 2025
Accepted Date: 19 January 2026
Available Online: 20 January 2026

Figures(4)

Organic phosphine scale inhibitors are widely used chemical additives in industrial water treatment. Due to its high stability, high solubility and anti-biodegradability, it can persist in water bodies for a long time and is a potential long-term source of phosphorus pollution. This study developed a novel Ti/IrO₂–RuO₂ electrode co-modified with bismuth and ionic liquid [Emim]BF₄ via thermal decomposition for electrocatalytic degradation of hydroxyethylene-1,1-diphosphate (HEDP) in reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC). Analyses with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that adding (Bi+[Emim]BF₄) to the electrode reduced the crystal grain size by 33%, enhancing compactness while maintained the typical oxide crystals rutile crystal structure. Electrochemical tests demonstrated that the Ti/IrO₂-RuO₂(Bi+[Emim]BF₄) electrode significantly outperformed its Ti/IrO₂-RuO₂ counterpart and had a lifespan 1.2 times longer. Then, at optimal conditions, current density of 30 mA/cm², initial pH of 3, 0.25 mol/L NaCl electrolyte, and a reaction time of 120 min, the removal of HEDP reached 84.22%. Mechanistic studies indicated that indirect oxidation by active chlorine dominated. Ultimately, the Ti/IrO₂-RuO₂(Bi+[Emim]BF₄) electrode system removed 82.77% of HEDP, 83.16% of COD, and 49.73% of UV₂₅₄ from actual ROC within 60 min, albeit with a limited TOC removal rate of 30.23%. Notably, it achieved a 91.55% removal rate for fluorescent substances within 10 min. This research provides valuable insights for enhancing the performance of iridium-ruthenium electrode and designing efficient electrocatalytic oxidation systems for treating phosphorus-containing wastewater.
- Ionic liquid,
- Iridium-ruthenium electrode,
- Electrocatalytic oxidation,
- Hydroxyethylene-1,1-diphosphate (HEDP),
- Reverse osmosis concentrat
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Mechanism and pathway for the electrocatalytic degradation of an organic phosphine scale inhibitor by a novel Ti/IrO2-RuO2(Bi+[Emim]BF4) electrode

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通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com

Mechanism and pathway for the electrocatalytic degradation of an organic phosphine scale inhibitor by a novel Ti/IrO₂-RuO₂(Bi+[Emim]BF₄) electrode