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Electrocatalytic methods are valuable tools for addressing water pollution and scarcity, offering effective pollutant removal and resource recovery. To investigate the current status and future trends of electrocatalysis in wastewater treatment, a detailed analysis of 9417 papers and 4061 patents was conducted using scientometric methods. China emerged as the leading contributor to publications, and collaborations between China and the USA have emerged as the most frequent partnerships. Primary article co-citation clusters focused on oxygen evolution reaction and electrochemical oxidation, transitioning towards advanced oxidation processes ("persulfate activation"), and electrocatalytic reduction processes ("nitrate reduction"). Bifunctional catalysts, theoretical calculations, electrocatalytic combination technologies, and emerging contaminants were identified as current research hotspots. Patent analysis revealed seven types of electrochemical technologies, which were compared using SWOT analysis, highlighting electrochemical oxidation as prominent. The technological evolution presented the pathway of electro-Fenton to combined electrocatalytic technologies with biochemical processes, and finally to coupling with electrocoagulation. Standardized evaluation systems, waste resource utilization, and energy conservation were important directions of innovation in electrocatalytic technologies. Overall, this study provided a reference for researchers to understand the framework of electrocatalysis in wastewater treatment and also shed light on potential avenues for further innovation in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur-containing organic pollutants and their derivatives are ubiquitously present in aquatic ecosystems. Their elevated environmental risk profiles have increasingly brought them to the forefront of scholarly attention. In light of this, the present study offered a comprehensive review of the developmental trajectory, current status, and future prospects of sulfur-containing organic wastewater treatment, as deduced from bibliometric and patent analyses. Post-2005 witnessed a marked surge in research publications, with China and the US spearheading this academic thrust, boasting the highest publication counts. Furthermore, collaborations saw a significant tilt towards partnerships involving China, the US, and Germany with international counterparts. The most prevalent 100 keywords, discerned from publications, coalesced around four pivotal domains: pollutants, technological advancements, chemical constituents, and detection methodologies. An emergent trend identified an uptick in the frequencies of terms such as "Sulfur-Oxidizing-Bacteria" and "Electrochemical Oxidation". From the technology innovation perspective, China's patent submissions constituted approximately two-thirds of the global filings. Technologies anchored in Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) and biodegradation held prominence, while membrane separation techniques, high-efficacy and recyclable catalysts, and cost-efficient procedures for addressing sulfur-containing wastewater were spotlighted as promising avenues, as inferred from the patent-based knowledge gap analysis. [Display omitted] • Swift progression in studies on sulfur-based organic contaminants. • A critical assessment of 5079 articles and 5763 patents. • Knowledge cartography illuminated sulfuric organic wastewater treatments. • AOPs and biodegradation emerge as quintessential technologies. • Membrane separation and recyclable catalysts exhibit vast potentialities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reveal the status and trends of chemical treatment for wastewater, the patents analysis from both structured and unstructured data was performed in this study. 35,838 patents recorded in the Derwent Innovation Index database were adopted. The results showed that China was the country with the largest number of patents in the field, and the United States was the main exporter of international technology flows. Chemical processes combined with biological and physical processes was the mainstream, and ozonation and electrochemical treatment were the major single technologies. Technology evolution path generally showed the transition from biological process-combined chemical treatment to electrochemical treatment and finally to physical process-combined chemical treatment. Furthermore, future trends were revealed from both patents and papers. It demonstrated that efficient removal of ammonia nitrogen, green water treatment agents and resourcezation of wastewater were the key innovation directions, and technologies with regard to efficient use of energy (including photocatalytic technology and microbial fuel cell) were the main research hotspots. Overall, this study provided a comprehensive understanding for the research and application of chemical treatment for wastewater technologies. [Display omitted] • 35,838 patents on chemical treatment for wastewater were analyzed. • Patent analysis from both structured and unstructured data. • Chemical process combined with biological and physical processes was the mainstream. • Technology evolution path was elucidated in three stages. • Future trends were revealed from both patents and papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]