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In recent years, new advanced oxidation processes based on the electrochemical technology, the so-called electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs), have been developed for the prevention and remediation of environmental pollution, especially focusing on water streams. These methods are based on the electrochemical generation of a very powerful oxidizing agent, such as the hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) in solution, which is then able to destroy organics up to their mineralization. EAOPs include heterogeneous processes like anodic oxidation and photoelectrocatalysis methods, in which (•)OH are generated at the anode surface either electrochemically or photochemically, and homogeneous processes like electro-Fenton, photoelectro-Fenton, and sonoelectrolysis, in which (•)OH are produced in the bulk solution. This paper presents a general overview of the application of EAOPs on the removal of aqueous organic pollutants, first reviewing the most recent works and then looking to the future. A global perspective on the fundamentals and experimental setups is offered, and laboratory-scale and pilot-scale experiments are examined and discussed.

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The electrochemical behavior of synthetic boron-doped diamond thin-film electrode ͑BDD͒ has been studied in acid media containing 4-chlorophenol ͑4-CP͒ by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and bulk electrolysis. The results have shown that in the potential region of supporting electrolyte stability occur reactions involving the oxidation of 4-CP to phenoxy radical and 1,4-benzoquinone. Polymeric materials, which result in electrode fouling, are also formed in this potential region. Electrolysis at high anodic potentials, in the region of electrolyte decomposition, complex oxidation reactions can take place involving electrogenerated hydroxyl radicals, leading to the complete incineration of 4-chlorophenol. Electrode fouling is inhibited under these conditions. The experimental results have been also compared with a theoretical model. This model is based on the assumption that the rate of the anodic oxidation of 4-CP is a fast reaction. Finally, high-pressure liquid chromatographic analyses revealed that the main intermediate products of 4-CP oxidation were 1,4-benzoquinone, maleic acid, formic acid, and oxalic acid.

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The electrochemical behavior of lead dioxide and synthetic boron-doped diamond thin film electrodes ͑BDDs͒ has been studied in acid media containing 4-chlorophenol ͑4-CP͒ by bulk electrolysis under different experimental conditions. In order to quantify the electrochemical activity of a given electrode, for the electrochemical oxidation of organic compounds ͑4-CP͒, the current efficiency of the anodic oxidation has been normalized taking into consideration mass-transport limitations. The normalized current efficiency ͑͒ has been defined as the ratio between the current efficiency of the investigated anode to the current efficiency of an ideal anode which has a very fast oxidation rate, resulting in a complete combustion of organics to carbon dioxide. The results have shown that even if the complete combustion of 4-chlorophenol has been achieved at both lead dioxide and boron-doped diamond anodes, the latter give higher . The difference in reactivity of the electrogenerated hydroxyl radicals on the anode surface, has been proposed to explain the high values obtained using boron-doped diamond anodes.

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