The ability to meet higher effluent quality requirements and the reduction of energy consumption are the biggest challenges in wastewater treatment worldwide. A large proportion of the energy generated during wastewater treatment processes is neglected and lost in traditional wastewater treatment plants. As a type of energy harvesting system, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) can extensively harvest the microscale energies generated from wastewater treatment procedures and auxiliary devices. This harvested energy can be utilized to improve the removal efficiency of pollutants through photo/electric catalysis, which has considerable potential application value in wastewater treatment plants. This paper gives an overall review of the generated potential energies (e.g., water wave energy, wind energy, and acoustic energy) that can be harvested at various stages of the wastewater treatment process and introduces the application of TENG devices for the collection of these neglected energies during wastewater treatment. Furthermore, the mechanisms and catalytic performances of TENGs coupled with photo/electric catalysis (e.g., electrocatalysis, photoelectric catalysis) are discussed to realize higher pollutant removal efficiencies and lower energy consumption. Then, a thorough, detailed investigation of TENG devices, electrode materials, and their coupled applications is summarized. Finally, the intimate coupling of self-powered photoelectric catalysis and biodegradation is proposed to further improve removal efficiencies in wastewater treatment. This concept is conducive to improving knowledge about the underlying mechanisms and extending applications of TENGs in wastewater treatment to better solve the problems of energy demand in the future.

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Algal organic matter (AOM) from seasonal algal blooms may be an important precursor of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water. This paper presents the effect of ferrate(VI) treatment on two blue-green algae, Chlorella sp. and Pseudanabaena limnetica , in eutrophic water. The results demonstrated that Fe(VI) removed the algal cells by causing cell death, apoptosis, and lost integrity, and decreased AOM (in terms of total organic carbon) in water via oxidation and coagulation. Chlorination of the Fe(VI) pre-oxidized algal water samples generated halogenated DBPs (including trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, haloketones, chloral hydrate, haloacetonitriles, and trichloronitromethane), but the concentrations of DBPs were lower than those formed in the chlorinated samples without pre-treatment by Fe(VI). Higher Fe(VI) dose, longer oxidation time, and alkaline pH were beneficial in controlling DBPs. In bromide-containing algal solutions, negligible amount of bromo-DBPs were generated in the Fe(VI) pre-oxidation, and halogenated DBPs were mainly formed in the subsequent chlorination.