Highly efficient treatment of tetracycline using coupled electro-Fenton and electrocoagulation process: Mechanism and toxicity assessment

In this study, a novel carbon fiber brush (CFB) electrode was designed using carbon fiber filaments and conductive metals. It was used as the cathode to construct an efficient coupled electro-Fenton and electrocoagulation (EF-EC) process for tetracycline (TC) treatment. An optimal 97.9% removal rate of 10 mg L−1 TC was achieved within 20 min. The coupled process is less pH-dependent and more effective in treating TC compared to the traditional individual electro-Fenton (EF) or electrocoagulation (EC) process, achieving efficient TC removal under neutral pH conditions. The removal rate of 10 mg L−1 TC consistently remained above 92% at 20 min after ten cycle experiments using the same electrodes in a Fe-CFB system (92.7–97.9%), indicating excellent reusability and stability of the CFB cathode. Mechanism analysis showed both EF and EC processes were involved in the system. Radicals (such as •OH and SO4−•) generated by EF contributed to the degradation of TC, yielding nine intermediates. Coagulants (such as Fe(OH)3) generated by EC contributed to the removal of TC. Toxicity prediction results indicated that over half of the nine intermediates exhibited lower biotoxicity compared to TC. This study provides a feasible alternative cathode for the efficient treatment of TC using EF-EC process. © 2024