Abstract:

 In this study, a three-dimensional electrochemical (3-EC) process was investigated as an advanced method for the removal of the pharmaceutical contaminant carbamazepine (CBZ), and its performance was compared with a conventional two-dimensional electrochemical system.
The experiments were conducted using aluminum electrodes as both anode and cathode, while powdered activated carbon (PAC) was applied as a particle electrode to enhance system efficiency. Key operational parameters, including current density, PAC concentration, initial pollutant concentration, and reaction time, were systematically evaluated.
The results demonstrated that increasing current density and PAC concentration significantly improved the removal efficiency. Under optimal operating conditions—current density of 9 mA/cm², PAC concentration of 0.5 g/L, and electrolysis time of 10 minutes—the maximum removal efficiency reached 89.8% in the 3-EC system. In contrast, the highest efficiency observed in the 2D system was only 29.8%.
Furthermore, the degradation mechanism was investigated using scavenger experiments, revealing that superoxide radicals are the dominant reactive species responsible for CBZ degradation. These findings highlight the superior performance of the three-dimensional electrochemical process in removing pharmaceutical pollutants from aqueous environments.