Advanced Electrochemical Technologies for Water Treatment

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2022) | Viewed by 11296

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Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
Interests: advanced oxidation; electrochemical processes; interfacial processes; environmental nanotechnology; aquatic chemistry
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Demands for quality water, advances in chemical analysis techniques, increases in public awareness, and ever-increasing concerns over energy conservation have prompted our attempts to revolutionize water treatment technologies for future generations. Regardless of end uses, water treatment with technologies that use no or very few chemicals, are easy to operate vis-à-vis process automation, and achieve energy sustainability will be the future trends in the water industry. To this end, electrochemical technologies have justifiably evolved as the most important water treatment technologies. Traditionally, electrochemical processes have not been popular in the water supply industry due in large part to the limited treatment capacity possible at water facilities. However, recent calls for decentralization for the purpose of energy savings has greatly enhanced the market potential of electrochemical technologies for water treatment. Furthermore, recent advances in novel catalysts and materials for the design and fabrication of electrodes has aided greatly the potential and feasibility of electrochemical technologies for water treatment.

We call for papers of significant relevance to advanced electrochemical technologies for water treatment. Original research articles and critical review of the literature are welcome that cover, although are not limited to, the following topics:

Electrochemical oxidation: The design, characterization, and testing of novel catalysts and electrodes for the electrochemical oxidation of water contaminants, such as chemical and microbial hazards, e.g., in-situ chlorination, electro-Fenton, and photo-electro-Fenton for the removal of pharmaceuticals and persistent contaminants, and catalytic electrochemical ammonia oxidation.

Electrochemical reduction: The design, characterization, and testing of novel catalysts and electrodes for the electrochemical reduction of water contaminants, such as chemical and microbial impurities, e.g., perchlorate reduction and nitrate reduction.

Electrochemical sorption (or CDI): The design, characterization, and testing of electrodes and electrode systems for the separation of water contaminants, such as inorganic anions (e.g., nitrate, arsenate, and chromate), inorganic cations (e.g., hard and heavy metals), and ionic organic chemical species (e.g., antibiotics and pesticides).

Photoelectrochemical processes (PEC): The design, characterization, and testing of novel photoanodes and photocathodes for the removal of water contaminants, such as chemical and biological impurities.

Electrocoagulation: The design and operations of coagulation processes for the removal of water impurities, including particulates.

Electrochemically-assisted filtration: The design and operation of membrane-less filtration processes for the removal of particulates in water with an emphasis on nano-sized particles.

Electrochemical engineering reactor kinetics: The design, operation, and modeling of electrochemical reactors for the removal of water impurities.

Electrodeless electrochemical processes: Catalytic oxidation and reduction processes for the removal of water impurities, e.g., advanced oxidation technologies, and novel and smart adsorbents for the removal of water impurities, including both soluble and insoluble particles.

Prof. Chin-Pao Huang
Guest Editor

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • advanced oxidation
  • electrochemical oxidation
  • electrochemical reduction
  • homogeneous catalytic oxidation
  • homogeneous catalytic reduction
  • photoelectrochemical oxidation
  • electrodialysis
  • electrocoagulation
  • electrical-filtration
  • electro-sorption (CDI)

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2233 KiB  
Article
Anodic Oxidation of Industrial Winery Wastewater Using Different Anodes
by Yeney Lauzurique, Lidia Carolina Espinoza, César Huiliñir, Verónica García and Ricardo Salazar
Water 2022, 14(1), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14010095 - 04 Jan 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2609
Abstract
Winery wastewater represents the largest waste stream in the wine industry. This deals with the mineralization of the organic matter present in winery wastewater using anodic oxidation and two types of anodes—namely, a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDD) and two mixed metal oxides (MMO), [...] Read more.
Winery wastewater represents the largest waste stream in the wine industry. This deals with the mineralization of the organic matter present in winery wastewater using anodic oxidation and two types of anodes—namely, a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDD) and two mixed metal oxides (MMO), one with the nominal composition Ti/Ru0.3Ti0.7O2 and the other with Ti/Ir0.45Ta0.55O2. To conduct the study, the variability of different quality parameters for winery wastewater from the Chilean industry was measured during eight months. A composite sample was treated using anodic oxidation without the addition of supporting electrolyte, and the experiments were conducted at the natural pH of the industrial wastewater. The results show that this effluent has a high content of organic matter (up to 3025 ± 19 mg/L of total organic carbon (TOC)), which depends on the time of the year and the level of wine production. With MMO electrodes, TOC decreased by 2.52% on average after 540 min, which may be attributed to the presence of intermediate species that could not be mineralized. However, when using a BDD electrode, 85% mineralization was achieved due to the higher generation of hydroxyl radicals. The electrolyzed sample contained oxamic, acetic, and propionic acid as well as different ions such as sulfate, chloride, nitrate, and phosphate. These ions can contribute to the formation of different species such as active species of chlorine, persulfate, and perphosphate, which can improve the oxidative power of the system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electrochemical Technologies for Water Treatment)
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23 pages, 4773 KiB  
Article
Organic Pollutants Removal from Olive Mill Wastewater Using Electrocoagulation Process via Central Composite Design (CCD)
by Abeer El Shahawy, Inas A. Ahmed, Mahmoud Nasr, Ahmed H. Ragab, Saedah R. Al-Mhyawi and Khalda M. A. Elamin
Water 2021, 13(24), 3522; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13243522 - 09 Dec 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2406
Abstract
Electrocoagulation (EC) was studied in this study as a potential alternative approach for treating Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW). Aluminum plates were utilized as anode and cathode to evaluate the removal of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) from OMW and the aluminum electrode’s weight loss. [...] Read more.
Electrocoagulation (EC) was studied in this study as a potential alternative approach for treating Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW). Aluminum plates were utilized as anode and cathode to evaluate the removal of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) from OMW and the aluminum electrode’s weight loss. Central Composite Experimental Design (CCD) and Response Surface Methodology were used to optimize its performance. Anodes were weighed before and after each electrocoagulation experiment, to compare the experimental and the theoretical dissolved aluminum weights calculated using Faraday’s law. We discovered the following EC conditions for CCD: current density = 15 mA/cm2, pH = 4, and electrolysis time of 30 min. Under these conditions, the maximum COD removal ratio was 41%, equating to an Al weight loss of 288.89 g/m3 at an estimated operating cost of 1.60 USD/m3. According to the response optimizer, the most economical operating settings for COD removal efficiency of 58.888% are pH 4, a current density of 18.41 mA/cm2, electrolysis time of 36.82 min, and Al weight loss of 337.33 g/m3, with a projected running cost of 2.00 USD/m3. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electrochemical Technologies for Water Treatment)
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13 pages, 2030 KiB  
Article
Sequential Congo Red Elimination by UASB Reactor Coupled to Electrochemical Systems
by Itzel Celeste Romero-Soto, Celestino García-Gómez, Luis Humberto Álvarez-Valencia, Edna Rosalba Meza-Escalante, Luis Alonso Leyva-Soto, Maria Angeles Camacho-Ruiz, María Olga Concha-Guzmán, Ruth Gabriela Ulloa-Mercado, Lourdes Mariana Díaz-Tenorio and Pablo Gortáres-Moroyoqui
Water 2021, 13(21), 3087; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13213087 - 03 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1855
Abstract
Response surface methodology was investigated to determine the operational parameters on the degradation of Congo red dye (CR) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in two electrochemical systems evaluated individually on effluent pretreated by an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor [...] Read more.
Response surface methodology was investigated to determine the operational parameters on the degradation of Congo red dye (CR) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in two electrochemical systems evaluated individually on effluent pretreated by an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The UASB reactor was fed with 100 mg L−1 of CR and was operated for 12 weeks at different hydraulic residence times (HRTs) of 12 h, 10 h, and 8 h. Once stabilized at an HRT of 8 h, the effluent was collected, homogenized, and independently treated by electrooxidation (EO) and electrocoagulation (EC) cells. On both electrochemical systems, two electrode pairs were used; solid for EC (Fe and stainless-steel) and mesh electrodes for EO (Ti/PbO2 and Ti), and the effect of intensity (A), recirculation flow rate (mL min−1), and experimental time (min) was optimized on response variables. The maximum efficiencies of sequential systems for COD degradation and CR decolorization were 92.78% and 98.43% by EC and ≥99.84% and ≥99.71% by EO, respectively. Results indicate that the coupled systems can be used in textile industry wastewater treatment for the removal of dyes and the decolorized by-products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electrochemical Technologies for Water Treatment)
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16 pages, 4780 KiB  
Article
Electrochemical Processes for the Treatment of Hazardous Wastes Exemplified by Electroplating Sludge Leaching Solutions
by Nan Wu, Xue Zhang, Xuemin Zhang, Yanjuan Li, Xiaosan Song and Sanfan Wang
Water 2021, 13(11), 1576; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13111576 - 02 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2702
Abstract
The solidified landfill disposal of hazardous solid waste such as electroplating sludge in arid/semi-arid areas has potential risks and hazards. In this study, the electrochemical method was used to destroy the structures of metal complexes in electroplating sludge and release metal ions so [...] Read more.
The solidified landfill disposal of hazardous solid waste such as electroplating sludge in arid/semi-arid areas has potential risks and hazards. In this study, the electrochemical method was used to destroy the structures of metal complexes in electroplating sludge and release metal ions so that the organics were removed by direct mineralization in the anode while the metal was recovered in the cathode. A SnO2/Ti electrode was used as the anode during the electrolysis process. The effect of different current densities (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 A/m2), different pH values (2, 3, 4, 5, 6), and the presence of chloride (0.1 or 0.2 M NaCl) and sulfate (0.1 or 0.2 M Na2SO4) on treatment were investigated. Under the optimal treatment conditions (current density = 50 A/m2, pH = 3), the removal rates of CODCr, TOC, and Ni2+ reached 88.01%, 85.38%, and 97.57%, respectively, with a metal recovery of 97.01%. Further studies showed that active chlorine and active persulfate generated in the presence of chloride and sulfate had less effect on the removal of organics, while hydroxyl radicals played a major role. The dilution of the leachate would be detrimental to electrochemical treatment. The by-products of organic chlorination were produced in low amounts, mainly CHCl3. This method can be used to treat electroplating sludge in various areas to recover valuable metals while removing organic pollutants, complying with the concept of sustainable development. This method provides a new solution for the treatment of metal-containing hazardous solid waste such as electroplating sludge from the perspective of practical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electrochemical Technologies for Water Treatment)
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