A traditional Fenton reaction suffers the limitation
of acidic
conditions, impeding its practical application for environmental remediation.
Selective reduction of oxygen with sustainable photoelectrochemical
(PEC) technology was first proposed to enlarge the practicable pH
range of 7–11. A novel photoelectrode with single-atom copper
anchored on oxygen vacancy anatase (Cu-SA/TiO2–x
) was designed for the efficient production of hydroxyl
radicals (HO•) in an alkaline solution. The in situ-formed
O–Cu on the electrode surface promoted the decomposition of
electrogenerated H2O2 into HO•. The optimal accumulated concentration of HO• was
276.23 μmol·L–1 during PEC reduction
of O2 at pH = 9. The removal of sulfamethoxazole was up
to 96.3% in 10 min with the Cu-SA/TiO2–x
electrode with an apparent kinetic constant (k
obs) of 0.311 min–1. The energy consumption,
recycling capacity, and electrolyte effect were evaluated in detail
from the perspective of actual application. Furthermore, the high
removal of chemical oxygen demand (69.1–93.9%) and the efficient
removal of total nitrogen (25.1–87.7%) in five real water samples
were almost uninfluenced by water quality. This work not only proposed
a strategy of HO• production in the alkaline environment
but also provided guidance for developing sustainable and efficient
technologies, especially for decentralized water treatment.