Recent Advances in Photocatalytic Advanced Oxidation Processes for Organic Compound Degradation: A Review

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have become increasingly more useful and necessary in the past few decades because they can degrade a wide range of organic and inorganic contaminants. The toxic and recalcitrant nature of many contaminants obstruct traditional biological processes, making treatment ineffective. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop and apply more effective treatment processes for industrial wastewater, polluted by pharmaceuticals, dyes, and other industries. The AOPs have become successful technologies for treating industrial wastewater because they remove contaminants, reduce toxicity, and improve biodegradability, including using ultraviolet (UV) and visible light (VIS) combined with homogenous or heterogeneous catalysts. This review shows that using the Fenton process and semiconductor material greatly facilitates removing various organic pollutants. Additionally, heterogeneous photocatalysis research is ongoing because this method effectively removes emerging pollutants. In addition, challenges, research needs, and future uses are described to improve the performance and hasten the large-scale implementation of AOPs in water treatment.