Chapter 1 - Introduction

Abstract

Less than 0.007% of freshwater from the total world water volume is easily accessible. The rapid growth of the population, the high level of industrialization, and intensification of agriculture are accompanied by pollution of the environment and water sources in particular. Traditional water treatment methods can no longer comply with tightening environmental standards. Electrochemical water treatment methods have a number of advantages over conventional methods such as compact reactor vessels, high pollutant removal efficiencies, no additional chemicals for process operation, broad area of applicability, insensitivity to toxic compound, and decreased formation or the total absence of secondary wastes generation. Electrochemical processes are accompanied by electrode reactions caused by the passage of electric current. The efficiency of electrochemical water treatments depends on the electrode material, nature and temperature of electrolyte solution, rate-limiting step of electrode reaction kinetics, etc. This chapter summarizes the information on water pollutants and electrochemical phenomena used in water treatment processes.