The electrochem. oxidn. of PhOH in wastewater was studied using Pt and DSA anodes. Anal. of reaction intermediates and measurements of current efficiency have shown that traditional anode materials (Pt, Ti/IrO2, Ti/RuO2, Ti/PbO2) give relatively low current efficiencies (EOI). Contrary to the Ti/SnO2 anode which not only gives high EOI values but allows quasi complete Total org. C elimination. The electrochem. oxidn. is compared with the chem. oxidn. and a mechanism for the electrochem. oxidn. is proposed. [on SciFinder (R)]