Recent research progress of electrocatalytic reduction technology for nitrate wastewater: A review

Nitrate pollution is becoming more severe and affects the nitrogen cycle globally. With the advancement of nitrate treatment technology, electrocatalytic nitrate reduction stands out due to its high efficiency and distinct advantages. Herein, this review critically examines the current state of research on the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate wastewater. First, a brief explanation of the reduction mechanism was provided. Second, factors influencing the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate in the continuous flow reaction were investigated, including cathode material, cell design, initial nitrate concentration, current density, initial pH, co-existing ions, chloride ion concentration and additives. Third, the cathode material's stability was widely discussed. After that, we discussed current state of industrialized technology for treatment of nitrate. Finally, there are outlook and conclusion on the current state of research in this field. This review aims to provide guidance for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction technology, and it is hoped that large-scale applications of electrocatalytic nitrate reduction for industrial wastewater will be realized in the near future.