Treatment of effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants using electrochemically produced Caro's acid

This work describes the application of electrochemically produced Caro's acid in a divided electrochemical flow cell for the removal of fourteen CECs from real effluent at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Ciudad Real, Spain. The results are compared with direct dosing of the reagent (with an ionic/molecular oxidant) and radical-assisted oxidation (activated sulfate radical via photochemical oxidation or hydrogen peroxide-induced radical oxidation). This study sheds light on the underlying mechanisms of these processes. As well, the effect of these three technologies on effluent disinfection is evaluated. The results demonstrate that this treatment alternative efficiently destroys all monitored pollutants, reaching the detection limits of the analytical equipment.