Edited by: S.Ekinović; J.Vivancos; S. Yalcin Journal of Trends in the Development of Machinery and Associated Technology Vol. 17, No. 1, 2013, ISSN 2303-4009 (online), p.p. 125-128 MODERN WATER TREATMENT BY ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION - A REVIEW Silvana B. Dimitrijević 1 , Stevan P. Dimitrijević 2 , Milovan D. Vuković 3 1 Mining and Metallurgy Institute Bor, Zeleni bulevar 35, 19210 Bor, Serbia 2 Innovation center of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia, University of Belgrade 3 Technical faculty in Bor, VJ 12, 19210 Bor, Serbia, University of Belgrade ABSTRACT Electrochemical oxidation (EO) as electrochemical method is unique by three aspects. The first is that is the most versatility process in water treatment area and covers: various industrial effluent treatment including, amongst others, distillery, agrochemical, pulp and paper, textile dyes, oilfield and metal- plating wastes; hazardous effluent treatment including hospital wastes; removal of pathogens and persistent, pharmaceutical residues and biological from municipal wastewater treatment plant; removal of organic micro-pollutants such as pesticides and heavy metals such as arsenic and chromium from water. Another aspect is that EO is complementary with most other methods: chemical or electrochemical, and is often combined with one or more of them. And finally, this procedure is the most interdisciplinary of all. It includes: material science, (micro)biology, (electro)chemistry, environmental protection, water supply systems, etc. Key words: electrochemical oxidation, electrooxidation, wastewaters, synergistic methods, interdisciplinary approach, ecology. 1. INTRODUCTION Nowadays, various electrochemical treatments are methods used for removal of organic and inorganic impurities from fresh, drinking and waste waters. The most usual methods are: electrocoagulation, electroflotation, electrochemical oxidation, electrochemical reduction and electrodeposition. The method consists of carrying out the oxidation reaction at the anode where pollutants are transferred into non-toxic substances, by decomposition into simpler compounds or transferring into oxidation form. It is used mostly for organic substances. Wastewater treatment by this procedure can be: direct or indirect electrochemical oxidation, as showed on Fig. 1. Figure 1. Pollutant removal pathway in electrochemical oxidation process [1]