Effectiveness of Sono-Photo-Fenton Processes for Removal of Emerging Contaminants From Water and Wastewater Publisher



Kakavandi B ; Dehghanifard E ; Bashardoust P ; Ahmadi M ; Sanei E ; Malekpoor M
Source: Ultrasonic Treatment of Water and Wastewater: Removal of Biological and Chemical Pollutants and Combined Processes Published:2026

Abstract

One of the major concerns the whole world is facing today is the massive contamination and pollution of our limited freshwater resources with refractory and recalcitrant contaminants, or socalled “emerging contaminants (ECs).” ECs comprise a wide variety of organic compounds, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, dyes, flame retardants, gasoline additives, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, among others. Since conventional treatment techniques are incapable of degradation and removing these chemical compounds, the urgent need for the application and development of novel advanced treatment techniques has been felt all over the globe. Ultrasound technology (UST) has been introduced as an easy-handling, green, user-friendly, and economical technique that can be used either solely or in combination with other treatment techniques to improve the degradation efficiency of ECs in aqueous media. Advanced oxidation process (AOP) is another purification technique that has been used widely during the last few decades to degrade refractory ECs. AOPs comprise different treatment techniques, including ozonation, Fenton and Fenton-like, sulfate radical-based processes, etc. The combination of UST and the Fenton process has proven to be an effective method, capable of rather significant degradation of numerous ECs. In this regard, this chapter briefly reviews the underlying mechanism of UST, the Fenton process, their combination, recent studies using the sono-photo-Fenton process, and the advantages and disadvantages of this process. © 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.