Emerging contaminants (ECs) have become a significant challenge in aquatic environments. Due to their common trace-level distribution, structural stability, and high mobility in aquatic systems, conventional water treatment processes exhibit notable deficiencies. Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) are considered an effective approach for the efficient removal of ECs, owing to the in-situ generation of highly reactive oxidative species and strong process controllability. However, in practical water treatment systems, EAOPs still face engineering bottlenecks including mass transfer limitations, reduced energy efficiency under low-conductivity conditions, incomplete degradation, and by-product formation. Although adsorption technology is generally incapable of achieving complete mineralization, it holds unique advantages for the rapid enrichment of trace-level ECs. In recent years, coupling adsorption with EAOPs has been regarded as a crucial strategy to overcome the limitations of individual technologies and enhance both the removal efficiency and operational stability for ECs. This review summarizes the mechanisms, research progress, and key challenges of EAOPs and adsorption technology in ECs treatment. It focuses on delineating three typical modes of the adsorption-EAOPs coupled system: simultaneous adsorption-EAOPs degradation, adsorption enrichment-EAOPs degradation, and EAOPs degradation followed by post-treatment adsorption. The synergistic mechanisms of these coupled systems in enhancing mass transfer and mitigating secondary pollution are elucidated. Furthermore, the article analyzes the main obstacles currently facing the engineering application of adsorption-EAOPs coupled systems. Finally, considering the demands of real water treatment, it is proposed that future research should strengthen the systematic evaluation of the long-term continuous operational performance, material deactivation mechanisms, and environmental risks of the treated effluent, which is essential for facilitating the transition of adsorption-EAOPs technology from laboratory research to practical engineering applications.

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Advances and challenges in EAOPs for the treatment of ECs

2.1 Classification and applicability of EAOPs

2.2 Research progress of EAOPs in ECs degradation

2.3 Characterization approaches and degradation mechanisms in EAOPs

2.4 Challenges and limitations of EAOPs

3 Advances and challenges in adsorption for the removal of ECs

3.1 Principles of adsorption and classification of adsorbents

3.2 Research progress on the removal of ECs by adsorption

3.3 Characterization of adsorption mechanisms and adsorption models

4 Adsorption-EAOPs coupling for the removal of ECs

4.1 Theoretical basis of adsorption-EAOPs coupling

4.2 Coupling configurations and synergistic mechanisms

4.3 Key challenges for engineering applications

5 Conclusions and outlook