Diclofenac is a common anti-inflammatory drug. Its electrochemical degradation at boron doped diamond electrode was investigated in aqueous solution. The degradation kinetics and the intermediate products were studied. Results showed that electro-oxidation was effective in inducing the degradation of diclofenac with 30 mg/L initial concentration, ensuring a mineralization degree of 72% after a 4h treatment with the applied bias potential of 4.0 V. The effects of applied bias potential and addition of NaCl on diclofenac degradation were investigated. Different degradation mechanisms of diclofenac were involved at various applied bias potentials. With the addition of NaCl, some chlorination intermediates including dichlorodiclofenac were identified, which lead to the total organic carbon increase compared with the electrolysis process without NaCl addition at the reaction initial period. The main intermediates including 2,6-dichlorobenzenamine, 2,5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol, and benzoic acid are identified at the time of 2 h. 1-(2,6-Dichlorocyclohexa-2,4-dienyl)indolin-2-one were also identified. These intermediates disappeared gradually with the extension of reaction time. Small molecular acids were identified finally. Based on these results, a degradation pathway of diclofenac was proposed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.