Enhanced degradation of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) by three-dimensional electrocatalysis coupled biological aerated filter

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products(PPCPs) were frequently detected in water bodies which were harmful to human health and environment. Three-dimensional electrocatalysis coupled biological aerated filter(3D-EBAF) was developed on the basis of biological aerated filter (BAF),which could enhance remove rate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products(PPCPs). The effects of the current intensity and kinetic analysis on the removal of diclofenac and clofibric acid in the three-dimensional electrocatalysis coupled biological aerated filter(3D-EBAF) were investigated. Results indicated that (1)average 71.91% of diclofenac at 0.73 mA cm−2 and 58.92% of clofibric acid at 0.64 mA cm−2 could be removed in three-dimensional electrocatalysis coupled biological aerated filter(3D-EBAF), which represented increase by 42.79% and 17.52%, compared with the biological aerated filter(BAF).(2)the degradation of diclofenac and clofibric acid followed first-order kinetic plot in three-dimensional electrocatalysis coupled biological aerated filter(3D-EBAF) and the kinetic rate constant (k) reached a peak of 0.0086 and 0.0052 min−1 at 0.64 mA cm−2.(3)the contributions of removal routes, intermediate products and mechanism were explored. These results indicated that the adsorption, electrocatalytic oxidation, and biodegradation play a synergistic role in the removal of diclofenac and clofibric acid. Three-dimensional electrocatalysis coupled biological aerated filter (3D-EBAF) significantly enhanced the removal rates of pharmaceuticals and personal care products(PPCPs) compared to biological aerated filter(BAF). The application of three-dimensional electrocatalysis biological aerated filter(3D-EBAF) could achieve satisfactory results in the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products(PPCPs), which provided an environmentally acceptable and cost-effective technology for the treatment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs).