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Mechanism and Improvement of Electrocoagulation Technology for Removing Microplastics from Wastewater-Current Status and Future Directions
Summary
This review analyzed electrocoagulation as a method for removing microplastics from wastewater, finding that hybrid systems combining electrooxidation or membrane filtration achieve over 95% removal efficiency through charge neutralization, sweep flocculation, and oxidative degradation. Efficient wastewater treatment is a critical intervention point for stopping microplastics from reaching aquatic environments and ultimately entering the food chain and drinking water.
Electrocoagulation (EC) presents a highly efficient and sustainable solution for microplastic (MPs) removal from wastewater, offering advantages of operational simplicity, minimal sludge production, and reduced chemical usage compared to conventional methods. This review critically analyzes the current state and mechanisms of EC for MPs remediation, encompassing charge neutralization, sweep flocculation, electro-flotation, and oxidative degradation facilitated by electrochemically generated reactive species. The critical influence of operational parameters—electrode material (e.g., Al, Fe, composites), configuration, current density, pH, and inter-electrode spacing—on removal efficiency is evaluated. Crucially, the role of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in real matrices, impacting MPs removal via adsorption competition or synergistic co-removal, is addressed. Advancements in reactor design (e.g., turbulent/serpentine flow) and power supply (e.g., pulsed current mitigating passivation) are detailed. Hybrid EC systems (e.g., EC-electrooxidation, EC-membrane filtration) demonstrate superior MPs removal (> 95%). While highly effective (> 90% optimized), challenges regarding MPs properties (type, size, shape), DOM complexity, and scale-up requirements are identified. Future research priorities include optimizing configurations, elucidating degradation pathways, developing cost-effective electrodes, and pilot-scale validation for industrial implementation.