Electro-peroxone enables efficient Cr removal and recovery from Cr(III) complexes and inhibits intermediate Cr(VI) generation in wastewater: Performance and mechanism

•E-peroxone efficiently destructed Cr(III) complexes and fully recovered removable cr.•The HO· preferentially attacked Cr(III) site of Cr(III) complexes to form Cr(VI).•E-peroxone enabled significant curtailment of intermediate Cr(VI) to below 0.2 mg/L.•78.3% and 21.7% of removable cr were separately enriched at ACF cathode and anode.•E-peroxone was capable of recovering cr from authentic electroplating effluent.