Production of Red Mud Particle Electrodes (RMPEs) and Its Performance Investigation in a Biological Aerated Filter Coupled with a Three-Dimensional Particle Electrode Reactor (BAF-TDE)

Novel particle electrodes—red mud particle electrodes (RMPEs)—were prepared using waste material (red mud, zeolite slag, and ferric oxide powder with a mass ratio of 5:3:2 and used in a biological aerated filter coupled with a three-dimensional particle electrode reactor (BAF-TDE)) for use in municipal wastewater treatment. The physical and chemical characteristics of RMPEs were measured. The surface morphology of the RMPEs was also characterized by SEM. The results showed that (1) under the optimal sintering conditions, red mud could be used to manufacture RMPEs; (2) BAF-TDE had an advantage over the single biological aerated filter (BAF), with regard to the removal of organic matter and ammonia nitrogen; and (3) in the BAF-TDE system, BAF contributed more to the removal of organic matter and ammonia nitrogen than TDE did, while TDE played a crucial important role in BAF-TDE, which can be improved by introducing an electric field.