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From Removal Claims to Engineering Evidence: Electrochemical Treatment and Selective Recovery of Heavy Metals in Wastewater

delete2026-06-23
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PRE
AI
S
Shilong Chen
X
Xinxiang Pei
Y
Yingying Huang
Y
Yang Luo
H
Hailu Xu
L
Ligang Feng
W
Wenxian Liu
X
Xijun Liu
DOI:10.1039/D6NR01591Cdelete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
The evaluation of the efficacy of electrochemical treatment of heavy-metal-bearing wastewater has evolved from a focus on peak removal in simplified solutions to a consideration of the ability of selectivity; stability; and product value to withstand the complex chemical processes present in industrial streams. The present review employs a systematic approach to evaluate the extant literature on the subject. This approach involves a series of steps; including decomposition; capture; separation/concentration; and purification/recovery. The review places a premium on studies that report on real or chemically complex wastewaters; metal speciation or release; normalized energy use; continuous operation; effluent quality; product purity; and residual-stream fate. Ligand-rich Cu- and Ni-bearing wastewaters serve as the primary evidence base due to their combination of strong complexation; competing ions; high salinity; organic interference; and relatively mature recovery-oriented data. These wastewaters also expose failure modes relevant to other heavy-metal systems. Across a range of electrochemistry processes; including electrooxidation and electroreduction; electrocoagulation; electrodialysis; bipolar membrane electrodialysis; capacitive deionization; and electrodeposition; the central finding is that removal; recovery; and product-end validation are distinct claims requiring different evidence. The efficacy of removal is substantiated by engineering evidence when it is associated with species transformation; stable stream control; energy and boundary accounting; product purity; impurity carryover; and the fate of residual liquid or solid streams. The resulting evidence-oriented reporting framework is intended to translate laboratory electrochemistry into continuous; resource-recovery-oriented treatment of complex heavy-metal wastewater.

Journal

Nanoscale cover
Nanoscale
IF:
5.1
Papers:
3.0W
Citations:
11.6W

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