Technological advances and sustainable pathways for electrolytic wastewater treatment

The increasing discharge of untreated and inadequately treated wastewater is severely degrading water resources, threatening aquatic ecosystems and human health. Efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable treatment technologies are therefore urgently needed. Among emerging approaches, electrolytic methods offer energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and highly adaptable solutions for wastewater remediation. This study synthesizes recent advances in electrode materials, reactor configurations, and energy-efficient electrolytic systems, with emphasis on continuous-flow operation, renewable energy integration, resource recovery, non-passive electrodes, and hybrid treatment strategies. Through a comparative assessment of recent studies, key technological progress is evaluated alongside persistent challenges, including high operational costs, limited scalability, sludge generation, and toxic by-product formation. By consolidating recent progress and identifying critical research gaps, this review proposes future research priorities to accelerate the transition of electrolytic technologies from laboratory studies to large-scale, sustainable wastewater treatment.