Removal of pharmaceutically active compounds from wastewater using adsorption coupled with electrochemical oxidation technology: A critical review.

[Display omitted] • Electrochemical oxidation of pharmaceutical-contaminated wastewater. • Reaction mechanisms for electrooxidation are outlined. • Systematic optimisation of operating parameters for anodic oxidation technology. • Future research and development of novel electrode materials are discussed. Pharmaceutical contaminants are emerging pollutants of concern that pose significant risks to human health and the environment. Adsorption has become increasingly significant in recent years due to its high removal efficiency of non-biodegradable pharmaceutical contaminants. Adsorption process is relatively simple and easy to operate, effectively removing pharmaceutical contaminants from wastewater without incurring significant capital costs. On the other hand, electrochemical oxidation technology is one of the most critical electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) to degrade pharmaceutical compounds in wastewater. It has been proven effective in treating natural wastewater containing pharmaceutical contaminants. When combined with adsorption technology, it can improve the techno-economic feasibility and environmental viability, especially for an industrial-scale pharmaceutical wastewater treatment process. The challenges of treating pharmaceutical residues in complex wastewater are due to its resistance to biodegradation in conventional wastewater treatment plants. However, the benefits of combining multiple treatment processes can lead to high removal efficiency of pharmaceutical pollutants, minimise energy consumption and eliminate the use of unnecessary chemical reagents. Most importantly, this review emphasises the optimisation of process variables for maximising the degradation efficiency of pharmaceutical pollutants. Finally, the future perspectives of combined technologies were discussed to provide new recommendations for future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]