Basic Notions and Innovations in Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes for Water Treatment

Natural water bodies are increasingly contaminated by synthetic organic compounds from industrial, agricultural, and domestic sources. Many of these compounds, for instance, pharmaceuticals, dyes, and pesticides, are chemically stable and cannot be efficiently eliminated by the classical wastewater treatment technologies, resulting in their persistence in surface and groundwater. Therefore, innovative strategies are required. Here, we reviewed electrochemical methods, such as anodic oxidation, electro-Fenton, photo-assisted catalysis, and electrochemical activation of persulfate and peroxymonosulfate, to remove recalcitrant organic pollutants from contaminated water. These methods generate reactive species that break down persistent contaminants. As the performance of these methods is affected by operational parameters, such as the type of electrode material, the applied current and the chemical composition of the solution, a fine-tuning of these parameters can enhance the removal efficiency of pollutant from water. We also discuss the contribution of computational modeling methods to obtain mechanistic insights that are crucial for developing and optimizing electrochemical water treatment technologies.