Water pollution remains a critical global challenge, with increasing concerns over the presence of heavy metals and organic pollutants, particularly emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), and pharmaceutical residues. Effective and sustainable treatment technologies are essential to ensure water quality and environmental protection. Among various treatment approaches, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and adsorption technologies have gained significant attention owing to their high efficiency in degrading and removing a wide range of pollutants.
AOPs are particularly advantageous because of their ability to generate highly reactive species, involving hydroxyl radicals (•OH), positive holes (h⁺), singlet oxygen (¹O₂), superoxide radicals (O₂•⁻), and sulfate radicals (SO₄•⁻), which effectively degrade persistent organic pollutants into less harmful or mineralized products. These versatile processes can target a wide range of contaminants, and be integrated with other treatment methods for improved efficiency. Furthermore, AOPs offer rapid reaction rates and can operate under ambient conditions, making them suitable for large-scale applications. Similarly, adsorption technologies provide highly effective means of pollutant removal by utilizing advanced adsorbent materials, such as activated carbon, biochar, and nanomaterials, which exhibit high surface areas and selective affinities for specific contaminants. Adsorption is a cost-effective and energy-efficient process that allows the recovery and reuse of valuable resources while minimizing secondary pollution. Adsorption is a highly successful technique for the removal of heavy metals from water. The integration of adsorption with AOPs improves treatment efficacy by facilitating the simultaneous removal of contaminants, including both organic pollutants and heavy metals, while also addressing contamination mixtures. This method may provide synergistic benefits that markedly enhance overall water quality.
This research topic aims to highlight the recent advancements, challenges, and innovative applications of AOPs and adsorption technologies in water treatment. We invite contributions that advance this field by exploring novel materials, reaction mechanisms, hybrid systems, and the applications of these technologies. We invite high-quality research articles and reviews on topics including, but not limited to: • Development of novel and efficient catalysts for AOPs • Development of new activation processes for rapid generation of reactive species, including novelty physical, chemical and other coupling approaches • Mechanistic insights into reactive species formation and pollutant degradation • Innovative adsorbent materials for enhanced pollutant removal • Coupling of AOPs with adsorption for synergistic effects • Pilot-scale applications of AOPs and adsorption • Performance assessment of AOPs and adsorption in contamination mixtures • Environmental and economic assessments of advanced treatment methods
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Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Opinion
Original Research
Perspective
Policy and Practice Reviews
Policy Brief
Review
Systematic Review
Technology and Code
Keywords: Advanced Oxidation Processes, Adsorption, Reactive species, Water and Wastewater treatment, Synergistic effect, Contaminants Mixtures, Micro Pollutants
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