A review of novel electrode materials and techniques for electro-Fenton process applied to the degradation of phenolic compounds

A major problem coming across humanity in the early 21st century is related to environmental crises, including shortage and pollution of water sources. For this reason, extensive studies have been conducted to find effective techniques for purifying water from industrial pollutants. Advanced oxidation process (AOP) has lately caught the attention of researchers, which is an efficient, clean and contemporary method to remedy wastewater effluents. However, primitive versions of AOP methods lacked several aspects like strict pH requirements and involvement of sediments, which is why further modifications to the technique have been developed, including an electrochemical catalytic degradation approach, namely, electro-Fenton and similar processes. This study will look through a set of novel papers investigating the application of various electrodes for the electrochemical treatment of solutions contaminated with phenol and phenolic compounds, which tried to address several shortcomings of more outdated practices and optimize the method for a set of different scenarios.

Automated summary

The major environmental crises of the early 21st century include water shortage and pollution. Extensive studies have been conducted to find effective techniques for purifying water from industrial pollutants. Advanced oxidation process (AOP) has gained attention as a clean and contemporary method for wastewater treatment, but further modifications like electrochemical catalytic degradation approaches have been developed to address its limitations. This study investigates the use of different electrodes for electrochemical treatment, aiming to optimize the method for scenarios involving phenol and phenolic compounds.