Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education,School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology
Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing NormalUniversity at Zhuhai
Hebei Kingboard EnergyDevelopment Company Limited

合成电化学技术因其能够在外电场的驱动下将低价值反应物转化为高价值产物,提供了水中污染物高效转化的创新途径。同时,污染物氧化反应作为电解水析氧反应的替代,可以实现增值产物和氢气的同步回收,有望解决传统工艺中污染物降解过程能耗高等问题。首先详细阐述合成电化学技术的机制,随后以5-羟甲基糠醛、木质素、甘油、葡萄糖及其他具有代表性的污染物作为综述对象,分析并总结了该领域相关工作的研究现状。通过梳理催化剂表面结构的设计、反应体系条件的调控及污染物转化反应的活性和选择性之间的联系,揭示了催化剂与污染物转化之间的构-效关系,为开发高活性催化剂以促进污染物增值转化提供了理论支撑。此外,还对合成电化学技术和其他技术生成的产物进行了技术经济分析,并讨论了如何抑制可能存在的干扰目标污染物转化反应以及降低增值产物纯度的副反应,为支撑合成电化学技术的经济适用性提供了有力证据。最后,还探讨了该领域面临的挑战和未来的发展前景。

Synthetic electrochemical technologies, which have the potential to transform low-valuesubstrates into valuable products under external electric fields, offer a promising pathway for achievingEnergy Environmental Protectionboth environmental remediation and economic benefits. As an alternative to the oxygen evolutionreaction in conventional water electrolysis, the pollutant oxidation reaction at the anode can facilitatethe simultaneous recovery of value-added products, as well as hydrogen evolution at the counterelectrode (i.e., cathode). This dual functionality holds promise for potentially addressing the highenergy consumption challenges associated with traditional pollutant degradation processes. This reviewfirst elucidates the mechanisms of synthetic electrochemical technologies, providing strong evidence forthe advantages of generating valuable products in ambient environments in comparison with thoseproduced through traditional chemical pathways. Recent advancements in synthetic electrochemicaltechnologies are then summarized, focusing on the electrochemical treatment of representativecontaminants such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, lignin, glycerol, glucose, and other refractory organicsin wastewater, with the aim of analyzing and summarizing the current research landscape in this field.Specifically, the valuable products from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and glycerol transformations can bediversified into high- or low-degree oxidation ones according to the oxidation degree of reaction sites.The engineered bond-breaking position of depolymerization products from lignin can achieve therecovery of desired products. Beyond the transformations of representative contaminants, theconversions of other refractory organics such as phenols, chlorinated organics, and nitrobenzene intovaluable products are also discussed further. By examining the interplay between the design of catalystsurface structures, the regulation of reaction system conditions, and the activity and selectivity ofpollutant conversion reactions, we uncover the structure–activity relationships between catalysts andpollutant transformation. This understanding provides theoretical support for developing highly activecatalysts that can enhance the value-added conversion of pollutants. Furthermore, this review conducts atechno-economic analysis of products generated by synthetic electrochemical technology comparedwith other technologies. We delve into strategies to suppress side reactions that interfere with targetpollutant conversion and diminish the purity of value-added products, offering robust evidencesupporting the economic viability of synthetic electrochemical technology. Finally, the challengesfacing this field and its future developmental prospects are explored in detail. Addressing thesechallenges requires a multidisciplinary approach, integrating insights from materials science, chemicalengineering, and environmental technology. Research efforts need to focus on high flux design and insitu characterization of catalysts, as well as isolation and purification of value-added products forindustrial applications. Future work should also consider the integration of synthetic electrochemicaltechnology with machine learning techniques to improve efficiency.

国家重点研发计划资助项目(2022YFC3901304);国家自然科学基金资助项目(52470028);广东省自然科学基金-杰出青年资助项目(2022B1515020053)

何宽畅,冯诗洋,杨文剑,等.基于合成电化学技术的水中污染物增值转化研究进展[J].能源环境保护,2025,39(1):34−47.

HE Kuanchang, FENG Shiyang , YANG Wenjian , et al. Research Progress of Transforming WastewaterContaminants into Valuable Products via Synthetic Electrochemical Technologies[J]. Energy EnvironmentalProtection, 2025, 39(1): 34−47.