Spinel ferrites nanoparticles: Synthesis methods and application in heterogeneous Fenton oxidation of organic pollutants - A review

Heterogeneous Fenton-like oxidation is one of the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) that can successfully remove a large number of pollutants from water. Among various materials used as catalysts in this process, spinel ferrite nanoparticles (SFs) have received increasing attention in recent years because of their unique physico-chemical properties, low-cost, good catalytic activity and interesting bandgap. In the same vein, their magnetic properties allow them to be easily, rapidly and inexpensively separated from the reaction medium. The present review highlights the unique structure and properties of different spinel ferrite nanoparticles, their synthesis approaches and their applications as a catalyst in heterogeneous Fenton-like and photo-Fenton-like oxidation. It was demonstrated that MFe2O4 have unlimited ability as catalysts in both heterogeneous Fenton-like and photo-Fenton-like oxidation. Thus, it can be deduced that their catalytic activity depends on the nature of divalent metal M, synthesis method, annealing temperature, pollutant nature and concentration, H2O2 concentration, pH, temperature and light source for photo-Fenton-like oxidation.