Combining adsorption with anodic oxidation as an innovative technique for removal and destruction of organics

Abstract

Coupling of adsorption with electrochemical oxidation is a novel approach to the treatment of aqueous organics that has demonstrated a number of key benefits over the individual application of these processes. This is based on a highly conducting adsorbent material, developed under the trade name Nyex™, that is able to rapidly adsorb the organics and anodically oxidise them within a single treatment unit. Successful scale up of the process (in both continuous and batch operation) has been achieved for the polishing of two separate groundwaters (one containing relatively simple petrol, diesel and their degradation products and the other with a range of more complex organics). Treatment showed that low discharge consents can be achieved, including the removal of more complex and difficult to treat compounds to below the limits of detection. Energy consumption for electrochemical regeneration was relatively low (down to 0.5 kWh/m3) suggesting that the process could be a practical alternative approach for effluent polishing.