A novel electrocatalytic system with high reactive chlorine species utilization capacity to degrade tetracycline in marine aquaculture wastewater.

The problems of high salinity and coexistence of antibiotics in mariculture wastewater pose a great challenge to the traditional wastewater treatment technology. Herein, an electrocatalytic system based on cathodes to sustain reactive chlorine species (RCS) in a high chlorine environment was proposed. The results show that the content of RCS is affected by cathodes. The electrocatalytic system with FeNi/NF as cathode has the largest RCS retention capacity when compared with other cathode systems (carbon felt, nickel foam, copper foam, stainless steel, and nickel-iron foam). This is related to FeNi/NF's higher hydrogen production activity, which inhibits the reduction reaction of RCS. Furthermore, the degradation of tetracycline by the proposed FeNi/NF system maintained long-term effective performance across 20 cycles. Thus, the application of high chlorine resistance electrocatalysis system provides a possibility for practical electrocatalysis treatment of mariculture wastewater. [Display omitted] • The FeNi/NF-system showed ultrahigh durability and activity in a NaCl environment. • Abundant RCS preserved in the FeNi/NF-system promotes tetracycline's degradation. • FeNi/NF's higher HER activity inhibits the reduction reaction of RCS. • Weakening RCS's reduction by cathodes can improve the electrocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]