Electrochemical removal of organic pollutants represents an attractive methodology in water depollution. The key challenges for researchers comprise finding simple, affordable electrode materials with satisfactory efficiency in all ranges of pollutant concentration. Electrochemical oxidation of a mixture of phenol-based dyes: bromocresol green (BCG), cresol red (CR), and thymol blue (TB), in sulphate medium, at total concentration not exceeding 15 ppm, has been performed using simply prepared, low-cost composite electrodes, based on graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and metallic oxides (TiO₂ and SnO₂) loaded on stainless steel substrate: GNP@SS, SnO₂/GNP@SS, and TiO₂/GNP@SS. Electrodes were characterised by XRD, FTIR, and electrochemical techniques. The degradation kinetics of initial dyes was tracked with UPLC and GC-MS chromatography for 6 h, at a current density of 10 mA/cm². GC-MS analysis of the degradation products revealed oxidised aromatic compounds as the main products, while TOC analysis confirmed a total mineralisation extent in the range of 30–35%. The proposed degradation mechanism involves the attack of OH-radical, as the main oxidising agent, to the hydroxyl oxygens of dye phenolic rings. Obtained results provide useful information for the further development of affordable laboratory-scale and industrial systems for the complete removal of phenol-based compounds.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of three carbon-based electrodes: bare multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), SnO₂/MWCNT, and PbO₂/graphene-nanoribbons (PbO₂/GNR) composites, as anodes for the electrooxidative degradation of Rhodamine B as a model organic pollutant. Anodic electrooxidation of Rhodamine B was performed on all three electrodes, and the decolorization efficiency was found to increase in the order MWCNT < PbO₂/GNR < SnO₂/MWCNT. The electrodes were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). It was proposed that, in the 0.1 M Na₂SO₄ applied as electrolyte, observed decolorization mainly occurs in the interaction of Rhodamine B with OH radical adsorbed on the anode. Finally, the obtained results were complemented with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations of OH-radical interaction with appropriate model surfaces: graphene(0001), SnO₂(001), and PbO₂(001). It was found that the stabilization of adsorbed OH-radical on metal oxide spots (SnO₂ or PbO₂) compared to carbon is responsible for the improved efficiency of composites in the degradation of Rhodamine B. The observed ability of metal oxides to improve the electrooxidative potential of carbon towards organic compounds can be useful in the future design of appropriate anodes.

Last decade, a growing emphasis on developing sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies for electro-oxidative wastewater treatment has catalyzed innovation and spurred research efforts worldwide. Researchers may explore the use of renewable energy sources to drive electrochemical processes, as well as the development of eco-friendly electrode materials for wastewater treatments. The integration of nanostructured anodes into the electrolytic system for wastewater treatment has led to significant advancements in the removal of pollutants via electro-oxidation. Despite the great number of research articles related to the development and use of nanostructured anodes for electro-oxidative wastewater treatment, to our knowledge, no bibliometric analysis has been published in this domain. Therefore, this work presents a bibliometric study of publications on the designated theme, retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database, which were published over the last decade. The visual and network analysis of co-authorship among authors, organizations, countries, co-citation of authors, citation of documents and sources, as well as the co-occurrence of author keywords was performed using two compatible pieces of scientometric software, namely VOSviewer (version 1.6.18) and CiteSpace (version 6.2.R4). From 2013 to 2023, there has been a gradual increase in the number of publications regarding the development and use of nanostructured anodes for electro-oxidative wastewater treatment. It suggests a steady advancement in this field. The People’s Republic of China emerges as the most productive country, and it is a leader in international collaborations. Also, the United States of America, South Korea, and European Union countries have significant impacts on the research in this domain. The development and application of nanostructured materials for urea electro-oxidation is a main and prospective research theme. This bibliometric analysis allowed for the visualization of the present landscape and upcoming trends in this research field, thereby facilitating future collaborative research endeavors and knowledge exchange.

Organic contaminants from building materials negatively affect the health of people. This study presents an analytical method for the simultaneous identification and quantification of 9 phenolic compounds, i.e., phenol, 2-chlorophenol, 2,4-dimethylphenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol, 4-chloro-3- -methylphenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrahlorophenol and pentachlorophenol, in concrete by a gas chromatographic method with mass spectrometric detection (GC?MS). By comparing the MS spectra of the test compounds with MS spectra of analytical standards, reliable identification was achieved. The method could be applied in a given range (from 0.01 to 7.5 mg kg-1) with appropriate parameters of precision, accuracy, repeatability and linearity. The developed method could be used for quality control testing of phenols in concrete during the construction of new buildings, old residences and construction waste. The measurement uncertainty of the phenolic compounds in concrete was evaluated using two approaches, i.e., GUM recommendations and a Monte Carlo method. Disagreement of those methods was observed. The Monte Carlo method could be used in the evaluation of combined measurement uncertainty for the determination of phenolic compounds in concrete.

Due to its widespread use, bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly found as a contaminant in wastewater, posing significant environmental and health risks. Conventional treatment methods often fail to completely remove it, necessitating the development of more effective technologies. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), particularly the Fenton reaction, have garnered considerable attention for the degradation of organic pollutants. The Fenton reagent uses hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺) to generate hydroxyl radicals (•OH), which are highly reactive and capable of breaking down BPA. This study investigates the effect of H₂O₂ concentration on the efficiency and kinetics of BPA degradation in sulfate-rich wastewater using the Fenton process. The results show that increasing H₂O₂ concentration enhances BPA degradation, with a pseudo-first-order kinetic model describing the process. These findings support the optimization of the Fenton process for the efficient removal of BPA from wastewater.