Electrode Materials for Glyphosate Removal from Water by Advanced Anodic Oxidation Processes: A Critical Review

Glyphosate, the most extensively used herbicide worldwide, is frequently detected in aquatic environments due to its high solubility, persistence, and intensive agricultural application. Its occurrence, together with that of its principal metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), raises substantial environmental and public health concerns. Conventional water treatment technologies generally exhibit limited efficiency in achieving complete removal and mineralization of this compound. In recent years, advanced electrochemical oxidation processes, and particularly anodic oxidation, have emerged as promising alternatives owing to their ability to generate highly reactive hydroxyl radicals in situ. This review provides the first contaminant-specific and mechanistic assessment dedicated exclusively to the anodic electro-oxidation of glyphosate. In contrast to previous reviews offering broad surveys of electrode materials or generalized evaluations of glyphosate treatment technologies, this work synthesizes all mechanistic, kinetic, and material-dependent insights reported between 2016 and 2025. A comparative analysis of major anode families (including boron-doped diamond (BDD), PbO2, mixed-metal oxides, and Magnéli-phase Ti₄O₇) is presented, highlighting glyphosate-specific degradation pathways, intermediate formation, and the operational parameters controlling mineralization efficiency and energy demand. By establishing a structured framework that links electrode properties, radical-generation mechanisms, and pollutant-specific degradation chemistry, this review addresses a critical gap in the literature and provides a scientific basis for designing next-generation electrochemical processes for the efficient and sustainable removal of glyphosate and related organophosphorus contaminants.