Electrolytic Dechlorination of DDT In a Bicontinuous Microemulsion

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0045-6535(94)90012-4

Electrolytic reduction in a bicontinuous microemulsion of surfactant, oil, and water removed aliphatic and aromatic chlorines from DDT. Microemulsions of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide/dodecane/water used with graphite felt cathodes provided a less expensive, less toxic approach to DDT electrolysis compared to using conventional organic solvents and metal electrodes. Good rates of aliphatic dechlorination were achieved by applying -1 V vs. Ag/AgBr and using the catalyst Co(bpy)3²⁺, but the best yield (34 percent in 3 hr) of the fully dechlorinated hydrocarbon 1,1-diphenylethane was achieved by using -2 V with oxygen in the reaction medium.