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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
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Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Photothermal Coupled Catalytic Water Decontamination and Solar Ammonia Recovery
Jun Liang1,2, Zhen Tian3, Chen Sun1,2
1Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
Environmental Science & Technology
|June 12, 2026
Summary
This study presents a novel solar-driven process for selective ammonia recovery from wastewater, efficiently removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while preserving ammonia for reuse. This sustainable method offers a low-carbon, cost-effective alternative to conventional techniques.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Sustainable Energy
Background:
- Sustainable nitrogen management requires efficient resource recovery from wastewater.
- Conventional ammonia recovery is energy-intensive and suffers from product impurity due to coexisting volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an integrated system for selective ammonia recovery and concurrent VOC removal from wastewater.
- To demonstrate a low-carbon, economically viable solution for sustainable nitrogen management.
Main Methods:
- An advanced oxidation processes-interfacial solar steam generation (AOPs-ISSG) platform using a cobalt oxide-loaded nitrogen-doped carbon catalyst (Co-NC).
- Exploiting differential reactivity of VOCs and ammonia (NH3) with reactive oxygen species (ROS) for selective oxidation.
- Integrating selective oxidation with alkaline solar interfacial evaporation for ammonia recovery.
Main Results:
- The Co-NC/AOPs-ISSG system achieved 90.1% ammonia recovery and 95.3% VOC removal from simulated wastewater (pH 9).
- The system demonstrated resilience across pH 7-10 and high solar intensities (up to 1.4 kW m⁻²).
- Recovered ammonia promoted significant plant growth, validating its high purity and reusability.
- Operating cost and carbon emissions were reduced by 23.2% and 27.7%, respectively, compared to conventional methods.
Conclusions:
- The developed AOPs-ISSG platform enables selective ammonia recovery and efficient VOC removal.
- This technology presents a sustainable, low-carbon, and cost-effective pathway for nitrogen management.
- The integrated system offers a promising solution for resource recovery from challenging wastewater streams.
