Industrial wastewater treatment is a critical area in environmental science and engineering, owing to the persistent challenge posed by refractory organic contaminants. The relentless discharge of organic wastewater from various industries has resulted in severe ecological harm and poses a significant threat to water sustainability. Over the past decades, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have emerged as effective tools for decomposing resistant organic compounds, capitalizing on the in-situ generation of highly reactive species such as hydroxyl radicals (·OH). Standard AOP methods include Fenton, ozonation, supercritical water oxidation, photocatalysis, ultrasonic cavitation, and electrocatalysis, each reliant on catalysts that govern the efficiency and selectivity of the process. Recent studies have shown significant progress in catalyst innovation, with a focus on both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems; however, there remains a pressing need to decipher variations in catalyst attributes, mechanisms, and their performances in real-world scenarios.

This Research Topic aims to foster comprehensive insights into the design, application, and mechanistic understanding of catalysts in AOPs for the degradation of refractory organics in industrial wastewater. By addressing both fundamental and practical questions, such as the identification of high-efficiency catalysts, their roles in optimizing operational parameters, and the elucidation of reaction pathways, this platform seeks to bridge experimental findings with theoretical advancements. Emphasis will be placed on innovative materials, catalyst recycling and reuse, and the treatment of complex effluents representative of real industrial settings, with the ultimate goal of guiding future research and technological implementation.

The scope of this Research Topic spans both the exploration and application of AOP catalysts for actual industrial organic wastewater, as well as theoretical research on their mechanisms and practical deployment. The topic welcomes articles focused on experimental, computational, and review studies, but limits its focus to catalyst development and integration into AOPs. To gather further insights in catalyst-driven AOPs for industrial wastewater treatment, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

o Synthesis, application, and mechanistic studies of AOP catalysts in industrial wastewater
o Valorization of industrial solid waste materials (e.g., coal fly ash, steel slag) for catalyst preparation
o Integration of physical fields (e.g., ultrasound, photonic, electrochemical) with AOPs to enhance process efficiency
o Evaluation of catalyst performance in treating real industrial wastewaters (e.g., coking, pharmaceutical, mining, printing and dyeing effluents)
o Catalyst stability, recyclability, and lifecycle assessment in advanced oxidation environments.

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Innovations in catalysts for advanced oxidation processes treating refractory organic contaminants