Electrochemical technologies for environmental remediation

Abstract

Contamination of environmental compartments with a myriad of chemical pollutants is inevitable. Many physical, biological, photolytic, chemical, and electrochemical techniques are in use for the pollutant remediation. Notably, elegant solutions to remediating environmental pollutants have been provided by electrochemical methods. Literature supports the versatility, energy efficiency, environmental compatibility, and cost-effectiveness of electrochemical methods for pollutant remediation. This chapter aims to describe electrochemical methods for remediation of a variety of dilute pollutants, organic contaminants, organic complexes with metals, and recovery of heavy metals. Additionally, effort has also been made to discuss major bioelectrochemical methods for the generation of energy from waste stream as power source.