Citation: Sili Qing, Yuxi Xu, Shuai Gao, Li-Ping Jiang, Xiaoge Wu, Wenlei Zhu. An efficient and sustainable hybrid electrochemical system for heterogeneous electro-Fenton degradation of phenolic pollutants[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(7): 112193. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.112193 shu

An efficient and sustainable hybrid electrochemical system for heterogeneous electro-Fenton degradation of phenolic pollutants

Sili Qing ^a ,
Yuxi Xu ^a ,
Shuai Gao ^c ,
Li-Ping Jiang ^{a, *,} ,
Xiaoge Wu ^{b, *,} ,
Wenlei Zhu ^{a, *,}

a.
State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of the Environment, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, the Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
b.
Environment Science and Engineering College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
c.
Biomass group, College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210031, China

jianglp@nju.edu.cn

xgwu@yzu.edu.cn

wenleizhu@nju.edu.cn

Received Date: 14 May 2025
Revised Date: 11 November 2025
Accepted Date: 26 November 2025
Available Online: 27 November 2025

Figures(7)

The heterogeneous electro-Fenton (HEF) technology is a promising yet challenging approach for organic pollutant degradation. It is urgent to develop a catalyst for both highly efficient H₂O₂ and hydroxyl radical (^•OH) generation with low energy consumption at neutral conditions. This study presents a bifunctional catalyst (CoPc/OCNTs/FeOF) synthesized by ultrasonic anchoring of FeOF onto cobalt phthalocyanine-modified oxidized carbon nanotubes. The catalyst demonstrated synergistic effects, achieving a 2.94-fold enhancement in H₂O₂ generation and a 3.85-fold increase in ^•OH yield compared to its individual components (CoPc/OCNTs and FeOF). At pH 6, the CoPc/OCNTs/FeOF cathode enabled nearly complete phenol removal within 90 min, with a high kinetic rate constant (k) of 0.04848 min^-1, driven by cooperative oxidation from singlet oxygen (¹O₂) and ^•OH. The system exhibited exceptional stability, inorganic ion tolerance, and broad applicability to real wastewaters, achieving 82.0% total organic carbon (TOC) removal for phenol wastewater at a low energy consumption of 21.9 kWh kg^-1 COD^-1. Moreover, sodium alginate-immobilized microalgae hydrogel was integrated into the HEF system to supply O₂ in situ for the 2e^- oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), eliminating energy-intensive mechanical aeration. Subsequent microalgal cultivation further removed 90.6% of total nitrogen and 82.8% of total phosphorus, showcasing a sustainable dual-function strategy for pollutant degradation and nutrient recovery. This work advances the design of efficient HEF catalysts and highlights the potential of microalgae-coupled systems for sustainable wastewater treatment.
- Heterogeneous electro-fenton,
- ^•OH electrogeneration,
- Wastewater treatment,
- Microalgae,
- ORR
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