Recent advances in electrochemical decontamination of perfluorinated compounds from water: a review

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose serious human health and environmental risks due to their persistence and toxicity. Among the available PFAS remediation options, the electrochemical approach is promising with better control. In this review, recent advances in the decontamination of PFAS from water using several state-of-the-art electrochemical strategies, including electro-oxidation, electro-adsorption, and electro-coagulation, were systematically reviewed. We aimed to elucidate their design principles, underlying working mechanisms, and the effects of operation factors (e.g., solution pH, applied voltage, and reactor configuration). The recent developments of innovative electrochemical systems and novel electrode materials were highlighted. In addition, the development of coupled processes that could overcome the shortcomings of low efficiency and high energy consumption of conventional electrochemical systems was also emphasized. This review identified several major knowledge gaps and challenges in the scalability and adaptability of efficient electrochemical systems for PFAS remediation. Materials science and system design developments are forging a path toward sustainable treatment of PFAS-contaminated water through electrochemical technologies.