Method and apparatus for electrochemical purification of wastewater

A method comprising:

• feeding wastewater into the anode compartment of an electrochemical cell using continuous or intermittent stable, pulsed or oscillating flow wherein the flow rate of wastewater may be varied depending on the influent COD concentration and treatment objective,
• applying a cell voltage to a 3D anode at all points on the 3D anode,
• oxidizing a wastewater COD and other contaminants by OH* generated by an anode catalyst surface as said wastewater COD passes through the anode compartment,
• directing the treated wastewater to a central wastewater plant or directing the treated wastewater to further treatment for water reuse applications,
• directing a side-stream of anode effluent to a cathode compartment, either continuously or intermittently, and
• discharging effluent exiting the cathode compartment back into the treated effluent stream and/or to the influent wastewater stream,
• wherein the anode effluent is optionally pretreated to remove anions, cations and dissolved CO2 if these contaminants are present in amounts exceeding a predetermined threshold.