Enhanced tris(2 chloropropyl) phosphate ( <scp>TCPP</scp> ) degradation during electro‐ <scp>Fenton</scp> process employing algal carbon quantum dots ( <scp>BGA</scp> ‐ <scp>CQDs</scp> ) modified gas diffusion electrode ( <scp>GDE</scp> ) as cathodes

Abstract BACKGROUND Tris(2‐chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP), a representative chlorinated organophosphate ester (OPE), has attracted increasing concern because of its persistence and toxicity in aquatic environments. Although the electro‐Fenton (EF) process is promising for refractory pollutant removal, its performance is often limited by cathode activity. In this study, blue‐green algae‐derived carbon quantum dots (BGA‐CQDs) were introduced as sustainable modifiers for a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) cathode to enhance TCPP degradation. RESULTS Compared with the pristine GDE, the BGA‐CQDs‐modified GDE (CQDs‐GDE) exhibited improved electrochemical activity and pollutant removal performance. Under the optimal conditions of CQDs:CB = 1:2, 50 mM Na 2 SO 4 , pH 3, and an aeration rate of 200 mL min −1 , the EF system achieved 91.17% and 88.78% of COD and TOC removal within 180 min, respectively. In addition, the pseudo‐first‐order rate constant reached 0.0131 min −1 , while the electrical energy consumption was 10.55 kWh kgCOD −1 . Moreover, the modified GDE maintained over 70% COD removal even after six consecutive cycles, whereas the pristine GDE decreased to 36.75%. The combined LC–MS analysis and DFT calculations indicated that TCPP degradation mainly proceeded through hydroxylation, dechlorination, and ester bond cleavage, to yield less toxic intermediates. CONCLUSION BGA‐CQDs effectively enhanced the catalytic activity and stability of the GDE cathode in the EF process. This study demonstrates a sustainable strategy for converting algal biomass into functional electrode materials for efficient degradation of organophosphate pollutants. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).