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Application of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) for Wastewater Treatment
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Application of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) for Wastewater Treatment

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2026 | Viewed by 6007

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pengxiang Qiu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
Interests: photocatalysis; electrocatalysis; advanced oxidation processes; water pollution treatment; chlorine disinfection; antibiotic resistance genes; antibiotic resistant bacteria
Dr. Shuai Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
Interests: chlorine disinfection; antibiotic resistance genes; antibiotic resistant bacteria; wastewater treatment; photocatalysis
Prof. Dr. Zhihui Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou, China
Interests: adsorption separation; heterogeneous catalysis; functional coordination polymers; porous materials; radionuclide decontamination; water pollution treatment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled "Application of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) for Wastewater Treatment", focuses on recent advances in AOPs and their role in the efficient degradation of recalcitrant pollutants. AOPs—such as photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, Fenton reactions, and ozonation—leverage highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) to break down emerging contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and industrial chemicals. The scope covers fundamental research on reaction mechanisms, the development of novel catalysts, the optimization of hybrid AOP technologies, and their scalability for industrial applications. We encourage submissions that address key challenges such as energy efficiency, cost reduction, and synergistic integration with conventional treatment methods.

Positioned within the expanding literature on sustainable water purification, this Special Issue aims to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale innovations and practical implementation. Through a compilation of high-quality studies, we seek to advance the understanding of contaminant degradation pathways and provide insights into process intensification and real-world feasibility. Contributions may explore emerging trends, ranging from nanostructured catalysts to modeling and kinetic analysis of AOPs, as well as the environmental impacts of AOP byproducts. Ultimately, this collection will serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners committed to achieving cleaner water systems in alignment with global sustainability goals. 

Dr. Pengxiang Qiu
Dr. Shuai Zhang
Prof. Dr. Zhihui Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • advanced oxidation processes (AOPs)
  • hybrid AOP technologies
  • wastewater treatment
  • photocatalysis
  • electrocatalysis
  • Fenton reactions
  • ozonation
  • reactive oxygen species (ROS)
  • emerging contaminants
  • contaminant degradation

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1745 KB  
Article
Thiabendazole Removal from Water and Mineralization by Electron Beam Irradiation Combined with Hydrogen Peroxide
by Germania Tulcán, Leandro Morillo, David Naranjo, Isabel Espinoza-Pavón, Christian Sandoval-Pauker, William Villacis Oñate, Paul Vargas Jentzsch and Florinella Muñoz Bisesti
Water 2026, 18(10), 1156; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18101156 - 12 May 2026
Viewed by 526
Abstract
Thiabendazole (TBZ) is a fungicide widely used in agriculture and frequently detected in water bodies and effluents from greenhouse and food processing activities. In this study, the removal and mineralization of TBZ from water by electron beam irradiation, in the absence and presence [...] Read more.
Thiabendazole (TBZ) is a fungicide widely used in agriculture and frequently detected in water bodies and effluents from greenhouse and food processing activities. In this study, the removal and mineralization of TBZ from water by electron beam irradiation, in the absence and presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), were investigated. Synthetic aqueous solutions containing TBZ (10 mg L−1) were treated at absorbed doses of 2, 3, and 4 kGy, using different H2O2 concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 15 mM). The effectiveness of TBZ removal was evaluated by determining residual TBZ concentrations, while mineralization was assessed through changes in total organic carbon (TOC), sulfate, and nitrate concentrations, together with pH and electrical conductivity measurements. Under all investigated conditions, complete TBZ degradation was achieved, with final concentrations below the detection limit of the chromatographic method. However, mineralization was partial and strongly dependent on treatment conditions. The highest mineralization degree was obtained at 4 kGy and 15 mM H2O2, resulting in a TOC removal of 52.4% and sulfur and nitrogen mineralization ratios of 50.2% and 13.7%, respectively. These results demonstrate that electron beam irradiation is highly effective for TBZ degradation. At the same time, while oxidant-assisted conditions are required to enhance mineralization, this highlights the need to distinguish between pollutant removal and complete mineralization in water treatment processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) for Wastewater Treatment)
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19 pages, 9454 KB  
Article
Peroxymonosulfate Activation by Sludge-Derived Biochar via One-Step Pyrolysis: Pollutant Degradation Performance and Mechanism
by Yi Wang, Liqiang Li, Hao Zhou and Jingjing Zhan
Water 2025, 17(17), 2588; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172588 - 1 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2259
Abstract
Municipal wastewater treatment relies primarily on biological methods, yet effective disposal of residual sludge remains a major challenge. Converting sludge into biochar via oxygen-limited pyrolysis presents a novel approach for waste resource recovery. This study prepared sludge-based biochar (SBC) through one-step pyrolysis of [...] Read more.
Municipal wastewater treatment relies primarily on biological methods, yet effective disposal of residual sludge remains a major challenge. Converting sludge into biochar via oxygen-limited pyrolysis presents a novel approach for waste resource recovery. This study prepared sludge-based biochar (SBC) through one-step pyrolysis of sewage sludge and applied it to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for degrading diverse contaminants. Characterization (SEM, XPS, FTIR) revealed abundant pore structures and diverse surface functional groups on SBC. Using Acid Orange 7 (AO7) as the target pollutant, SBC effectively degraded AO7 across pH 3.0–9.0 and catalyst dosages (0.2–2.0 g·L−1), achieving a maximum observed rate constant (kobs) of 0.3108 min–1. Salinity and common anions showed negligible inhibition on AO7 degradation. SBC maintained 95% degradation efficiency after four reuse cycles and effectively degraded sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethazine, and rhodamine B besides AO7. Mechanistic studies (chemical quenching and ESR) identified singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide radicals (O2•− ) as the dominant reactive oxygen species for AO7 degradation. XPS indicated a 39% reduction in surface carbonyl group content after cycling, contributing to activity decline. LC-MS identified five intermediates, suggesting a potential degradation pathway driven by SBC/PMS system. ECOSAR model predictions indicated significantly reduced biotoxicity of the degradation products compared to AO7. This work provides a strategy for preparing sludge-derived catalysts for PMS activation and pollutant degradation, enabling effective solid waste resource utilization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) for Wastewater Treatment)
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20 pages, 9625 KB  
Article
Ferric Tannate-Enhanced Electrochemical Conditioning Process for Improving Sludge Dewaterability
by Yalin Yu, Junkun Feng, Nanwen Zhu and Dongdong Ge
Water 2025, 17(16), 2424; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17162424 - 16 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1397
Abstract
Sludge dewatering is a key step in the overall process of sludge treatment and disposal. In this study, ferric tannate was synthesized by chemically complexing tannic acid with Fe2(SO4)3 under various conditions and then was innovatively employed to [...] Read more.
Sludge dewatering is a key step in the overall process of sludge treatment and disposal. In this study, ferric tannate was synthesized by chemically complexing tannic acid with Fe2(SO4)3 under various conditions and then was innovatively employed to enhance electrochemical conditioning (ECC) for municipal sludge dewatering. The optimal preparation conditions of ferric tannate were determined as a tannic acid to iron ion molar ratio of 0.8:10, pH of 10, and reaction time of 2 h. Subsequently, ferric tannate-enhanced ECC was investigated under different dosages and operating parameters. The optimal conditions were identified as ferric tannate dosage of 20% total solid, voltage of 50 V, and reaction time of 30 min, under which capillary suction time, specific resistance to filtration, and water content of dewatered sludge cake decreased by 84.3%, 84.2%, and 17.6%, respectively. Results of the mechanism analysis indicated that ferric tannate effectively reduced sludge viscosity, increased zeta potential, and neutralized the negative surface charges via charge neutralization, hydrophobic interactions, and hydrogen bonding. Meanwhile, adsorption bridging promoted floc aggregation and particle growth. Compared with the ECC process alone, the addition of ferric tannate in the ferric tannate-enhanced ECC process generated more •OH, promoting the extracellular polymeric substance degradation and protein removal, thereby improving sludge hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the floc structure was reconstructed into a more compact and smooth morphology, facilitating the release of bound water during filtration. These findings provide new technical and theoretical support for the development of eco-friendly and efficient sludge conditioning and dewatering processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) for Wastewater Treatment)
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12 pages, 3675 KB  
Article
Insight on the Ultrafast Water Treatment over NiFe-Layered Double Hydroxides via Electroactivation of Ferrate(VI): The Role of Spin State Regulation
by Xinyu Gai, Ningxuan Xue, Pengxiang Qiu, Yiyang Chen, Da Teng, Zhihui Zhang, Fengling Liu, Zhongyi Liu and Zhaobing Guo
Water 2025, 17(9), 1369; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091369 - 1 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1198
Abstract
Ferrate (Fe(VI)), an emerging green oxidant and disinfectant in water treatment, faces challenges due to its limited reaction efficiency stemming from a highly electron-deficient state. To address this, we designed NiFe-Layered Double Hydroxides (NiFe-LDHs) with different spin states to enhance electron transfer efficiency [...] Read more.
Ferrate (Fe(VI)), an emerging green oxidant and disinfectant in water treatment, faces challenges due to its limited reaction efficiency stemming from a highly electron-deficient state. To address this, we designed NiFe-Layered Double Hydroxides (NiFe-LDHs) with different spin states to enhance electron transfer efficiency in Fe(VI)-mediated advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). We hypothesized that fine-tuning the spin state of NiFe-LDHs could optimize the balance between adsorption capabilities and electronic structure regulation. Our experiments revealed that intermediate-spin NiFeLDH-1, with a magnetic moment of 0.67 μB, exhibited the best catalytic performance, achieving 100% phenol removal. The NiFeLDH-x/Fe(VI) system demonstrated a significant synergistic enhancement in degradation efficiency. In addition, NiFeLDH-1 showed excellent performance in stability and continuous flow experiments. This study unveils a novel correlation between spin polarization and catalytic efficiency, offering insights into the optimization of electrocatalysts for Fe(VI)-mediated AOPs. The findings suggest that spin state modulation is a promising strategy to enhance the electrocatalytic activity and stability of non-noble metal catalysts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) for Wastewater Treatment)
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