The persistent presence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and severe membrane fouling remain critical challenges in the desalination of micro-polluted brackish water, necessitating innovative solutions for brackish water treatment. This study proposes, for the first time, an electrocoagulation-electrocatalytic oxidation-membrane filtration (ECOMF) system based on in-situ generation of ferrate (Fe^Ⅳ/Ⅴ), which synergistically addresses membrane fouling and CECs removal. By integrating electrocoagulation (EC), electrocatalytic oxidation (EO), and conductive membrane filtration, the system enables simultaneous oxidation, coagulation, and fouling mitigation. At an optimal current density ratio (i_EC:i_EO=1:3), the ECOMF system achieved 96.0 % removal of carbamazepine (CBZ), 65.8 % dissolved organic carbon (DOC) reduction, and 71.8 % UV₂₅₄ elimination. EEM demonstrated > 90 % removal of protein-like and humic-like substances, attributed to Fe^Ⅳ/Ⅴ-mediated oxidation and coagulation. Floc characterization revealed the formation of hydroxyl-rich γ-FeOOH and green rust, enhancing charge neutralization and coagulation efficiency. Through synergistic oxidation-coagulation, cathodic electrostatic repulsion, and hydrogen bubble scouring, the system reduced transmembrane pressure (TMP) by 89 % and membrane resistance to 9.0 × 10¹⁰ m⁻¹. Compared to conventional technologies, the ECOMF system exhibited superior performance with an operational cost of 0.113 ¥/m³. This work provides a cost-effective and sustainable strategy for the treatment of slightly polluted brackish water.

中文翻译：

---

新型 ECOMF 系统：原位生成铁酸盐，用于去除苦咸水淡化中的污染物和减少结垢

新兴污染物 （CEC） 的持续存在和严重的膜污染仍然是微污染苦咸水淡化的关键挑战，需要创新的苦咸水处理解决方案。本研究首次提出了一种基于原位生成铁酸盐 （Fe^IV./V.） 的电凝-电催化氧化-膜过滤 （ECOMF） 系统，该系统协同解决膜污染和 CECs 去除问题。通过集成电凝固 （EC）、电催化氧化 （EO） 和导电膜过滤，该系统可以同时进行氧化、混凝和减少结垢。在最佳电流密度比 （i_EC：i_EO=1：3） 下，ECOMF 系统实现了 96.0% 的卡马西平 （CBZ） 去除率、65.8% 的溶解有机碳 （DOC） 去除率和 71.8% 的 UV₂₅₄ 去除率。EEM 显示 > 90% 去除蛋白质样和腐殖质样物质，这归因于 Fe^IV./V. 介导的氧化和凝结。絮凝体表征揭示了富羟基 γ-FeOOH 和绿锈的形成，增强了电荷中和和凝结效率。通过协同氧化混凝、阴极静电排斥和氢泡冲刷，该系统将跨膜压力 （TMP） 降低了 89%，膜电阻降低到 9.0 × 10^{10 m-1}。与传统技术相比，ECOMF 系统表现出卓越的性能，运营成本为 0.113 ¥/m³。这项工作为处理轻度污染的苦咸水提供了一种具有成本效益和可持续的策略。