Electrochemical process removes low levels of pollutants from water

摘要

Removing low levels of pollutants from water can require large energy and chemical inputs as well as cause acidity fluctuations and losses in performance. Researchers developed a new method that relies on an electrochemical process to selectively remove organic contaminants such as pesticides, chemical waste products, and pharmaceuticals. In the new system, water flows between chemically treated, or "functionalized," surfaces that serve as positive and negative electrodes. After being coated with Faradaic materials, the electrode surfaces can undergo reactions to become positively or negatively charged and be tuned to bind strongly with a specific type of pollutant molecule.