Molecular inspired electrocatalyst materials for environmental remediation

Abstract

The increasing presence of chemical contaminants in the environment due to demands associated with a growing population and industrial development poses risks to human health due to their exposure. Electrochemical degradation has emerged as a promising remediation technology for environmentally relevant pollutants. This review evaluates the advances in the application of molecularly-inspired catalysts for the electrochemical degradation of nitrate/nitrite, halogenated compounds, aromatic hydrocarbons, and pharmaceuticals. The impact of molecular structure composition on electrochemical parameters such as conversion rates, selectivity, and faradaic efficiency is described. The potential applications of electrochemical degradation for poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances are briefly mentioned. The utilization of computational chemistry in investigating catalytic sites, reaction mechanisms, and electronic structure is also discussed. This review contributes to understanding molecular-inspired electrocatalysts for the degradation of major environmental pollutants.