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Catalysts
Volume 16
Issue 6
10.3390/catal16060540
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Catalytic Oxidation of Phenolic Wastewater by Iron-Based Catalysts

by
Jinlong Wang
1,
Yaheng Li
2,
Kinjal J. Shah
2,
Mengtian Lu
2,
Chengzhang Zhu
1,
Yang Wu
3,
Dong Jiang
4,
Zhongmin Wang
4 and
Yongjun Sun
2,*
1
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
2
College of Urban Construction, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, China
3
Macao Environmental Research Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao SAR 999078, China
4
MCC Huatian Engineering & Technology Corporation, Nanjing 210019, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Catalysts 2026, 16(6), 540; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16060540
Submission received: 18 May 2026 / Revised: 4 June 2026 / Accepted: 8 June 2026 / Published: 10 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Processes in Environmental Applications)
Versions Notes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and mechanism of iron-based catalysts in the treatment of phenolic wastewater by catalyzing ozone oxidation. The removal rates of phenolics and COD were systematically examined using simulation experiments with water and actual wastewater, which involved analyzing the effects of reaction time, pH, ozone dosage, catalyst dosage, and initial concentration. The phenol and COD removal rates in the simulated wastewater were 95.9% and 93.5%, respectively, respectively, while the ozone dosage was 16 mg/L/min, pH was 6.7–6.8, and catalyst dosage was 0.3 g/L. The phenol and COD removal rates in the actual wastewater were 68.6% and 68.0%, respectively. The reaction time was 30 min. The system’s efficient removal ability for phenolic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and others was confirmed through three-dimensional fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopy. The iron-based catalyst generates ·OH through three pathways: adsorption of activated ozone on surface active sites, continuous production of free radicals by Fe2+/Fe3+ cycling, and direct activation of ozone by Fe2+. This mechanism analysis showed that the catalyst generates ·OH. These pathways convert pollutants into small molecules or mineralized by attacking the aromatic rings and conjugated structures of pollutants. Technical references for the deep treatment of phenol-containing wastewater are provided in this study.
Keywords: iron-based catalyst; ozone oxidation; ozone catalytic oxidation; phenol wastewater; coal chemical wastewater iron-based catalyst; ozone oxidation; ozone catalytic oxidation; phenol wastewater; coal chemical wastewater

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MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, J.; Li, Y.; Shah, K.J.; Lu, M.; Zhu, C.; Wu, Y.; Jiang, D.; Wang, Z.; Sun, Y. Catalytic Oxidation of Phenolic Wastewater by Iron-Based Catalysts. Catalysts 2026, 16, 540. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16060540

AMA Style

Wang J, Li Y, Shah KJ, Lu M, Zhu C, Wu Y, Jiang D, Wang Z, Sun Y. Catalytic Oxidation of Phenolic Wastewater by Iron-Based Catalysts. Catalysts. 2026; 16(6):540. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16060540

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Jinlong, Yaheng Li, Kinjal J. Shah, Mengtian Lu, Chengzhang Zhu, Yang Wu, Dong Jiang, Zhongmin Wang, and Yongjun Sun. 2026. "Catalytic Oxidation of Phenolic Wastewater by Iron-Based Catalysts" Catalysts 16, no. 6: 540. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16060540

APA Style

Wang, J., Li, Y., Shah, K. J., Lu, M., Zhu, C., Wu, Y., Jiang, D., Wang, Z., & Sun, Y. (2026). Catalytic Oxidation of Phenolic Wastewater by Iron-Based Catalysts. Catalysts, 16(6), 540. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16060540

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