Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Magnetometric Characterization of Intermediates in the Solid-State Electrochemistry of Redox-Active Metal-Organic Frameworks
Published on: June 9, 2023
Mechanisms and Performance of a Copper-Modified Lead Dioxide Anode for Electrochemical Cephalexin Removal: Roles of
Haijie Li1, Yuguang Chang1, Qing Wei2
1School of Environmental Science, Nanjing XiaoZhuang University, Nanjing, China.
Abstract:
Cephalexin (CEX), a widely used β-lactam antibiotic, is frequently detected in pharmaceutical and municipal wastewater and requires efficient removal before discharge. In this study, a Cu-modified PbO2 anode (Cu/PbO2) was fabricated for electrochemical advanced oxidation of CEX. Compared with pristine PbO2, Cu/PbO2 showed a 2.35-fold higher voltammetric charge (q*) and a lower charge-transfer resistance (17.5 vs. 21.2 Ω cm2), indicating more accessible electroactive sites and faster interfacial electron transfer. Under optimized conditions, CEX removal reached 70.9 ± 1.2% at 20 mA cm-2 within 120 min; increasing the current density to 30 mA cm-2 decreased the apparent rate constant from 0.0110 to 0.0092 min-2. Acidic conditions favored CEX degradation, with removal increasing from 64.5 ± 0.5% at pH 9 to 80.2 ± 1.1% at pH 3. Chloride showed a concentration-dependent dual effect: 0.5-1.0 mM Cl- enhanced CEX oxidation through reactive chlorine species, whereas 2-3 mM Cl- inhibited degradation by competing for surface sites and scavenging hydroxyl radicals. Radical-quenching experiments confirmed that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) were the dominant oxidants. Overall, Cu modification improves the activity and durability of PbO2 anodes and offers a practical design strategy for electrochemical treatment of antibiotic-contaminated wastewater.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Electrodeposition
Electrodeposition can...
Extraction: Advanced Methods
Microbial Leaching
Standard Electrode Potentials
Electrolysis
Types of Reversible Electrodes

![[(DPEPhos)(bcp)Cu]PF6: A General and Broadly Applicable Copper-Based Photoredox Catalyst](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F59739.jpg&w=3840&q=50)