Study of the Electroreactivity of Amoxicillin on Carbon Nanotube-Supported Metal Electrodes

Abstract

The electroreactivity of amoxicillin (AMX) was studied on catalysts based on platinum, palladium and ruthenium supported on carbon nanotubes (Pt/CNT, Pd/CNT, Ru/CNT) in aqueous media using cyclic voltammetry. Cyclic voltammograms show two oxidation processes, the first one between 0.5 and 1.0 V vs. reference hydrogen electrode (RHE) and the second one between 1.2 and 1.6 V vs. RHE. The effects of electrocatalytic material and supporting electrolyte, on current intensities and oxidation potentials, were determined using experimental design strategy (DOE). Kinetic parameters of the oxidation reactions were calculated from the scan rate study. The constant potential electrolysis of AMX was carried out on Ru/CNT catalyst, in 0.1 M NaOH and AMX conversion reached 45 % after 6 h of electrolysis at 2.5 V vs. RHE. The percentages of CO32, SO42 and NO3 among oxidation products were 18, 15 and 2%, respectively. The primary degradation products of AMX determined by HPLCMS gave some insight about the reaction pathways.