Electrochemical Wastewater Treatment: Nutrient Recovery and Selective Contaminant Removal
Abstract
Electrochemical technologies are not currently widely used for wastewater treatment due to concerns over energy demand and due to a lack of knowledge by end users of the benefits and options. However, with the growth of the renewal energy sector and the increasing availability of cheap and excess electricity, electrochemical technologies are seeing a renewed interest and possibility of development and use in the wastewater treatment sectors. In particular, rural and/or remote applications might use electrochemical technology paired with solar energy generation to provide water/wastewater treatment. In other wastewater treatment scenarios, electrochemical technology might be considered for previously ignored options, including nutrient recovery and recycling, and chemical-free disinfection. In this talk, I will discuss our research on using electrochemical approaches to pursue nutrient recovery and wastewater treatment for water reuse in the municipal and agricultural sectors.