PRELIMINARY STUDY OF SURFACE TREATMENTS FOR PLATINUM ELECTRODES DESIGNED FOR OXIDATION-REDUCTION POTENTIAL DETERMINATIONS IN ACTIVATED SLUDGE

Abstract

Platinum electrodes with six different surface treatments (polishing, platinization, polypyrrole, polyurethane, cellulose acetate and Nation) were tested for equilibrium exchange current densities and zero-current potential in treated water and activated sludge. Preliminary results show that platinization and polypyrrole treatment increase electron transfer rates, but polypyrrole film breaks up rapidly in activated sludge; polyurethane and cellulose acetate layers did not prevent fouling (and impaired perfonnance) in activated sludge, but Nation seemed more promising.