In this study, petroleum refinery wastewater was treated by different electrochemical processes when Fe particle
and air were introduced separately or simultaneously into a traditional two-dimensional reactor. The effects of Fe
particle and air on the electrochemical processes were investigated, and the possible reaction mechanisms of
these processes were discussed by comparing the results of COD removal and instantaneous current efficiency.
The experimental results showed that the effluent with a satisfactory COD removal efficiency (89.91%) and
NH3-N removal efficiency (99.47%) was obtained when the initial pH was 3, and fine Fe particle and air were
introduced simultaneously. This result can also be supported by the analysis of UV spectrum and GC–MS. All of
these results suggested that the electrochemical system with Fe particle, air and pH = 3 was an effective
approach for petroleum refinery wastewater treatment due to the cooperative action of efficient GDEs, threedimensional
electrodes and the normal Fenton reaction