Recent advances in the removal of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) using multifunctional materials:a review

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have gained heightened attentions in recent years owing to their persistent property and hazard influence on wild life and human beings. Removal of POPs using varieties of multifunctional materials have shown a promising prospect compared with conventional treatments. Herein, three main categories, including thermal degradation, electrochemical remediation, as well as photocatalytic degradation with the use of diverse catalytic materials, especially the recently developed prominent ones were comprehensively reviewed. Kinetic analysis and underlying mechanism for various POPs degradation processes were addressed in detail. The review also systematically documented how catalytic performance was dramatically affected by the nature of the material itself, the structure of target pollutants, reaction conditions and treatment techniques. Moreover, the future challenges and prospects of POPs degradation by means of multiple multifunctional materials were outlined accordingly. Knowing this is of immense significance to enhance our understanding of POPs remediation procedures and promote the development of novel multifunctional materials.

Keywords: Electrochemical remediation; Multifunctional materials; Persistent organic pollutants (POPs); Photocatalysis degradation; Thermal degradation.