State-of-the-Art Photochemical Technology for Water and Wastewater Treatment

Dear Colleagues,

Recent studies have been devoted to the use of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the destruction of organic materials from water and wastewater, mainly because AOPs can entirely eradicate organics. Depending on the applications, different AOPs have been studied. Among AOPs, photocatalysis is a promising process of eradicating almost all types of organics in wastewater. Despite the advantages of TiO₂, there are two major limitations in its photocatalytic activity: its activation in the ultraviolet range, and its high rate of electron-hole recombination, leading to its low efficiency. Therefore, the photocatalytic efficiency depends on how well a photocatalyst can prevent electron-hole pair recombination. There have been many studies on photocatalysis, including doping metals and non-metals, as well as mixing different photocatalysts. Other AOPs, such as UV/H₂O₂, UV/Ozone, Fenton, Fenton-like, photoFenton, photoelectrochemical processes among others, have been studied for different applications, including the destruction of organic pollutants and disinfection of pathogens. The focus of this Topic is on the latest developments in all AOPs, including photochemical reaction engineering, photoreactor design with high mass transfer rate, photocatalyst development, or combining different AOPs with other processes to enhance organic degradation in water and wastewater. This Topic strives to provide an overview on state-of-the-art photochemical technology for water and wastewater treatment. All papers should report on trends and advances in the fields of photochemical technologies for water and wastewater treatment.

Prof. Dr. Mehrab Mehrvar
Prof. Dr. Marta Gmurek
Topic Editors