Research Information System
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL, vol.531, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Hybrid treatment systems that simultaneously enable industrial wastewater purification and on-site energy recovery have gained increasing attention as sustainable solutions for complex industrial effluents. This study reports the development and application of a reagent-free, solar-driven electro-Fenton-like membrane (SDEFM) system for the simultaneous detoxification of real pharmaceutical industry wastewater and green hydrogen recovery. Unlike studies relying on synthetic matrices, the system was evaluated using real industrial effluent, enabling a realistic assessment of treatment performance under complex wastewater conditions. The membrane-assisted configuration integrates a sacrificial iron anode and a graphite cathode operated under solar-powered UV-C irradiation (not direct solar photolysis), allowing in situ generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) without external chemical addition. Under optimized conditions, the SDEFM system achieved up to 88% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, near-complete color elimination, substantial UV254 reduction, and acute toxicity abatement, as confirmed by Daphnia magna bioassays. Hydrogen production efficiencies of 40-60% relative to theoretical yields were achieved. When evaluated on a total energy basis, the process exhibited energy efficiencies of up to similar to 8% and exergy efficiencies approaching similar to 1%, confirming the feasibility of integrating wastewater treatment with renewable energy recovery. Chamber-resolved analysis revealed that deep oxidation was dominated by the anodic compartment through interfacial oxidation, while the cathodic compartment provided complementary bulk electro-Fenton activity. The results demonstrate that the SDEFM system provides a robust and scalable platform for integrated pharmaceutical wastewater detoxification and hydrogen co-production. By combining reagent-free operation, solar-powered enhancement, kinetic validation, and risk-based evaluation, this study advances circular and sustainable electrochemical treatment technologies for industrial wastewater applications.