Reduction of 2,4-dinitrotoluene with graphite and titanium mesh cathodes

Electrochemical degradation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) in a bench-scale reactor was studied, and a number of parameters including dissolved oxygen, current, voltage, and electrode shape and material were investigated. Quantified rates of degradation ranged from 0.003 to 0.008 min(-1) for graphite and 0.003 to 0.06 min(-1) for titanium. Products of degradation were identified as diaminotoluene (DAT) and azoxy dimers and, in some cases, were also quantified. An azoxy dimer was found only in experiments with dissolved oxygen, and regioselectivity favoring the first reduction at the para position was evident based on product studies. Degradation studies using a graphite rod cathode were mass-transfer limited, while degradation studies using titanium mesh wire were not. The material of the electrode had a strong influence on degradation rates and on the way that different water quality parameters affect the rate of 2,4-DNT degradation.