Electrochemical system rids wastewater of pollutants

NUS believe the method can remove up to 99 per cent of hard-to-treat organic compounds found in different types of industrial wastewater. Furthermore, the system is claimed to operate on low electrical power and does not generate secondary waste, such as sludge, that requires further residual waste processing such as incineration.

“Despite the great advances in wastewater treatment technologies, the removal of refractory organic compounds remains a costly and challenging process. Our invention provides an environmentally-friendly solution and helps to raise the overall standard of industrial wastewater treatment,” said research leader Assistant Professor Olivier Lefebvre from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NUS Faculty of Engineering.

Wastewater from the electronics and pharmaceutical industries may contain a high concentration of solvents and mixtures of complex organic substances, while wastewater from farmlands may contain a high concentration of pesticides or herbicides. These organic compounds are not biodegradable and can be harmful to humans and the environment.