In this paper, the feasibility of using carbon aerogels (CAs) as bed electrodes in a three-dimensional electrode reactor for the electrochemical treatment was studied. It was found that the removal efficiency depended on the airflow, the feed phenol concentration, pH, the ratio of aerogels Mass to Solution volume, and repeated times. Compared with commercial carbon particle electrodes, the CAs prepared exhibited stronger and longer-term activity to remove phenol simulated wastewater. For 250 mg L-1 of phenol solution, 98% of the initial phenol chemical oxygen demand (COD) can be removed after treatment for 20 min. Moreover, high removal efficiency can be kept basically after being reused many times (e.g. 93% and 82% after 20 times and 50 times, respectively). (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.