Electrochemical Technologies for Water Treatment, Management, and Efficiency

Abstract

Reliable access to freshwater is an important issue today and will likely be of even greater importance in the future as the world's population grows and the use of water for human activities and manufacturing, including hydraulic fracking and other mining and industrial processes, increases. There are many critical and interrelated aspects of water treatment, including removal of nitrogen, heavy metals and suspended solids, industrial chemicals, and organic compounds. Several methods for treating freshwater exist, and significant research efforts continue to be expended. However, electrochemical processes may have distinct advantages over other processes, including scalability, point-of-source operational ability, easy of installation and operation, and readiness of integration into renewable energy sources. Electrochemical techniques can address nearly every aspect of water treatment, providing broad applicability. This article outlines recent advances in electrochemical wastewater treatment and provides a perspective on the future outlook of the technology. Multiple electrochemical treatment options are discussed, including removal and recovery of heavy metals, removal of suspended solids and organic compounds, as well as novel applications in the treatment of hydraulic fracking wastewater and nitrogen removal, among others.