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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Food & Water Human Health Effects Marine & Wildlife Nanoplastics Remediation Sign in to save

Recent Advances in Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI)-Based Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs): Applications, Mechanisms, and Future Prospects

Nanomaterials 2023 67 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 65 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Mingyue Liu, Yuyuan Ye, Linli Xu, Ting Gao, Aiguo Zhong, Zhenjun Song

Summary

This review covers how tiny iron particles called nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) can be used to break down organic pollutants in water through advanced chemical reactions. These methods show promise for cleaning up contaminated environments, including water sources affected by plastic-related and other industrial pollutants. The technology is cost-effective and environmentally friendly, though challenges remain in scaling it up.

The fast rise of organic pollution has posed severe health risks to human beings and toxic issues to ecosystems. Proper disposal toward these organic contaminants is significant to maintain a green and sustainable development. Among various techniques for environmental remediation, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) can non-selectively oxidize and mineralize organic contaminants into CO2, H2O, and inorganic salts using free radicals that are generated from the activation of oxidants, such as persulfate, H2O2, O2, peracetic acid, periodate, percarbonate, etc., while the activation of oxidants using catalysts via Fenton-type reactions is crucial for the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), i.e., •OH, •SO4-, •O2-, •O3CCH3, •O2CCH3, •IO3, •CO3-, and 1O2. Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), with a core of Fe0 that performs a sustained activation effect in AOPs by gradually releasing ferrous ions, has been demonstrated as a cost-effective, high reactivity, easy recovery, easy recycling, and environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalyst of AOPs. The combination of nZVI and AOPs, providing an appropriate way for the complete degradation of organic pollutants via indiscriminate oxidation of ROS, is emerging as an important technique for environmental remediation and has received considerable attention in the last decade. The following review comprises a short survey of the most recent reports in the applications of nZVI participating AOPs, their mechanisms, and future prospects. It contains six sections, an introduction into the theme, applications of persulfate, hydrogen peroxide, oxygen, and other oxidants-based AOPs catalyzed with nZVI, and conclusions about the reported research with perspectives for future developments. Elucidation of the applications and mechanisms of nZVI-based AOPs with various oxidants may not only pave the way to more affordable AOP protocols, but may also promote exploration and fabrication of more effective and sustainable nZVI materials applicable in practical applications.

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