Abstract Electrocoagulation (EC) is an acclaimed environmentally adequate approach to wastewater treatment. It is simple and economical by way of reducing the amount of chemical dosage, sludge generation and disposal, and the high costs involved in traditional chemical coagulation (CC). This paper discusses the mechanisms of pollutant removal by electro-generated hydroxide and oxyhydroxide flocs during EC process. The flocs’ generation and formation with Fe, Al and other metal electrodes, and the influence of operating conditions (pH, current density, electrolyte composition, etc.) on floc structure are reviewed. Further, revisions were provided on recent studies about new areas in electro-generated (oxy)hydroxide flocs such as layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and green rusts (GR), common characterization techniques, and factors promoting EC floc production. Results clearly indicate that during EC, the most proposed removal mechanisms of (oxy)hydroxide flocs towards oxyanions, cationic heavy metals, and organic pollutants are adsorption and coprecipitation, charge neutralization and surface complexation, and direct/indirect radical oxidation respectively. EC process alone which has low radical generation is less efficient when treating organic pollutants. Consequently, coupling and combination of AOP-EC generates suitable amounts of radicals and flocs for organic pollutant removal.

中文翻译：

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电絮凝过程：关于电絮凝体在污染物去除中的作用的综述

摘要 电凝聚 (EC) 是一种备受赞誉的环保废水处理方法。它通过减少化学品用量、污泥产生和处置量以及传统化学混凝（CC）所涉及的高成本而简单且经济。本文讨论了电化学过程中电生氢氧化物和羟基氧化物絮凝物去除污染物的机制。综述了铁、铝等金属电极对絮体的产生和形成，以及操作条件（pH、电流密度、电解液成分等）对絮体结构的影响。此外，还对最近关于电生（氧）氢氧化物絮凝体的新领域的研究进行了修订，例如层状双氢氧化物 (LDH) 和绿锈 (GR)、常见表征技术、以及促进EC絮凝物产生的因素。结果清楚地表明，在 EC 期间，（羟基）氢氧化物絮凝物对氧阴离子、阳离子重金属和有机污染物的最建议去除机制分别是吸附和共沉淀、电荷中和和表面络合以及直接/间接自由基氧化。在处理有机污染物时，单独使用具有低自由基生成的 EC 过程效率较低。因此，AOP-EC 的偶联和组合会产生适量的自由基和絮凝物，用于去除有机污染物。和直接/间接自由基氧化。在处理有机污染物时，单独使用具有低自由基生成的 EC 过程效率较低。因此，AOP-EC 的偶联和组合会产生适量的自由基和絮凝物，用于去除有机污染物。和直接/间接自由基氧化。在处理有机污染物时，单独使用具有低自由基生成的 EC 过程效率较低。因此，AOP-EC 的偶联和组合会产生适量的自由基和絮凝物，用于去除有机污染物。