“Super-bubble” electro-photo hybrid catalytic system for advanced treatment of organic wastewater

A method for wastewater treatment, the method comprising:

• flowing a wastewater having an initial concentration of one or more contaminants into a wastewater treatment system;
• treating the initial wastewater in the system to produce a treated water having a final concentration of the one or more contaminants;
• wherein the final concentration is less than the initial concentration;
• and
• removing the treated water from the system;
• wherein the system comprises:
• a porous substrate having a first external surface, a second external surface opposite the first external surface, and an internal porous region between the first external surface and the second external surface;
• wherein the porous substrate is an anode;
• an electrocatalytic material immobilized on at least a portion of the first external surface and/or in at least a portion of the internal porous region;
• wherein
• the porous substrate and the electrocatalytic material are in electrical communication;
• and
• the porous substrate is configured to be subjected to an anodic bias sufficient to electrocatalytically generate hydroxyl radicals at the electrocatalytic material;
• a photocatalytic material immobilized on at least a portion of the second external surface and/or in at least a portion of the internal porous region;
• and
• a light source positioned to expose at least a portion of the photocatalytic material to a light sufficient to photocatalytically generate hydroxyl radicals at the photocatalytic material;
• wherein:
• the wastewater treatment system is configured to receive a flow of wastewater between the first external surface and the second external surface through the internal porous region such that the flow of wastewater is at least partially in contact with the electrocatalytic material and the photocatalytic material;
• the wastewater treatment system is configured to decrease a concentration of contaminants in the flow of wastewater at least via an interaction between the contaminants and the hydroxyl radicals;
• and
• application of the anodic bias to the porous substrate generates oxygen bubbles at the electrocatalytic material;
• and/or
• exposure of the photocatalytic material to the light generates oxygen bubbles at the photocatalytic material;
• wherein:
• the wastewater flowing in the internal porous region comprises oxygen bubbles and hydroxyl radicals;
• wherein the step of treating comprises:
• electrocatalytically generating at least a portion of the hydroxyl radicals in the wastewater by subjecting the electrocatalytic material to an anodic bias sufficient to electrocatalytically generate hydroxyl radicals;
• photocatalytically generating at least a portion of the hydroxyl radicals in the wastewater by exposing at least a portion of the photocatalytic material a light sufficient to photocatalytically generate hydroxyl radicals;
• generating at least a portion of the oxygen bubbles in the wastewater at the electrocatalytic material and/or at the photocatalytic material;
• and
• reducing the concentration of the one or more contaminants from the initial concentration to the final concentration at least via an interaction between the one or more contaminants and the hydroxyl radicals.