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Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting substance used in many manufacturing processes. It causes many negative effects on organisms in terrestrial and aquatic environments, such as estrogenicity, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. Therefore, the treatment of BPA has gained importance recently. In this study, BPA removal from synthetic wastewater containing BPA by catalytic ozonation process (COP) and photocatalytic ozonation process (PCOP) was examined. Both processes have been optimized with the Central Composite Desing (CCD) method. BPA removals have been estimated in both processes with the developed second-order models. R 2 values in COP and PCOP are 0.9977 and 0.9942, respectively. So, the statistical significance of the models has been confirmed. When the optimum conditions for COP are pH 6.76, ozone dose 2244.09 mg/L, catalyst dose 45.38 mg/L, and reaction time 13.18 min, the maximum BPA removal efficiency is 98.84%. In PCOP, 99.97% BPA removal efficiency was found to be pH 6.91, ozone dose 1644.73 mg/L, catalyst dose 41.63 mg/L, light intensity 23.72 Watt and reaction time 14.36 min. Operating costs within COP and PCOP were calculated as $10.484 and $9.745 per m 3 , respectively. Reuse tests have shown that the catalyst can be used repeatedly with minimal loss of efficiency. In inhibitor tests, the dominant radical in both processes was determined as ° OH. This study reveals that BPA can be removed with high efficiency and low cost using COP and PCOP. Graphical Abstract

The discharge of various pollutant-rich wastewater in large volumes without adequate treatment seriously endangers the environment. Catalytic and photocatalytic ozonation are the alternative methods to make the treated wastewater reusable. Here, we review the recent advances in metal ferrite nanoparticle catalysts, including the various preparation methods, characterisation techniques, catalytic mechanisms, and modification strategies. We discuss the current application of metal ferrites as ozone catalysts and the synergistic effect of catalytic and photocatalytic ozonation. The average pollutant removal efficiencies are 20–40% for non-catalytic ozonation, 80–98% for catalytic ozonation and 60–80% for photocatalytic ozonation using metal ferrite.

Industrialization is inducing water pollution by pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and cosmetics. Many emerging pollutants are non-biodegradable, toxic and recalcitrant to conventional wastewater treatments, thus calling for improved remediation techniques such as advanced oxidation processes which allow complete mineralization of pollutants. Here we review advanced oxidation processes with focus on ozonation and photocatalysis for the degradation of organic and microbial contaminants in wastewaters. Ozonation efficiency is limited by ozone-resistant pollutants, whereas photocatalysis is slow due to charge recombination, yet photocatalytic ozonation overcomes these limitations. Photocatalytic ozonation indeed shows synergy indices of up to 5.8 for treating wastewaters. This resulted in faster reaction kinetics, enhanced pollutant degradation with mineralization achieved in most cases, and reduction of toxicity up to 100%. We also discuss energy requirements.

Catalytic ozonation is believed to belong to advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Over the past decades, heterogeneous catalytic ozonation has received remarkable attention as an effective process for the degradation of refractory organics in wastewater, which can overcome some disadvantages of ozonation alone. Metal oxides, metals, and metal oxides supported on oxides, minerals modified with metals, and carbon materials are widely used as catalysts in heterogeneous catalytic ozonation processes due to their excellent catalytic ability. An understanding of the application can provide theoretical support for selecting suitable catalysts aimed at different kinds of wastewater to obtain higher pollutant removal efficiency. Therefore, the main objective of this review article is to provide a summary of the accomplishments concerning catalytic ozonation to point to the major directions for choosing the catalysts in catalytic ozonation in the future.

The food processing industry is currently facing challenges in delivering safe, healthy, and high-quality food. Constant monitoring at each step of the supply chain of food is vital to resolve the issue of food contamination. To achieve this aim and to meet consumer prospects, the technologies promoting the concept of clean label food have been widely cherished. Ozonation is one such advanced technology that assists in maintaining food product quality and safety. Its manifold approach and zero-by-product production make it a promising food disinfectant technique. Ozone due to its oxidative property has been widely used in sanitizing, washing, odor removal, water treatment, and in equipment, fruits, vegetable, and meat processing disinfection. Ozonation in foods is done in such a way that no nutritional, sensory, and physicochemical characteristics are altered. In this review, an attempt is made to give an overview of the impact and contribution of ozone as a disinfectant in food processing while comparing it with conventional disinfectants and its overall application in the food industry.

This research emphasized the importance of removing organic pollutants from wastewater discharges. In this review, different advanced oxidation processes are discussed. A broad classification of advanced oxidation processes was used for wastewater treatment. An overview of TiO2-based photocatalysis, the Fenton process, and photocatalytic ozonation has been done. The mechanism of different methods has been studied. The advantages and limitations of these processes are also discussed. Various kinds of catalyzed were used in TiO2-based photocatalysis for various categories of organic contaminants, and several factors with crucial effects on TiO2-based photocatalytic degradation were examined. The typical treatment scheme of Fenton's method was reviewed. Also similarly, a review of photocatalytic ozonation: mechanism of the reaction, its applications with different catalysts, and economic aspects of photocatalytic ozonation were done.

Water pollution by pharmaceuticals is a current worrying environmental problem. Adsorption and catalytic processes using zeolites have been employed in several studies to remove/degrade pharmaceuticals from water. The interest of researchers in these two strategies based on the utilization of zeolites (i.e., adsorption and advanced oxidation technologies, AOT) is continuously growing. Then, this work presents a literature review, considering the origin of the zeolites (natural vs. synthetic) and the modifications of zeolites (e.g., the addition of surfactants) for the adsorption of diverse pharmaceuticals. The role of zeolites in catalytic ozonation, Fenton-based systems, and activation of peroxymonosulfate and peroxydisulfate is detailed. Also, the primary transformations of pharmaceuticals induced by these AOTs were examined. Moreover, the gaps regarding biodegradability and toxicity of the transformation products coming from the degradation of pharmaceuticals by the zeolites-based processes were discussed. To overcome the scarcity of information regarding the biodegradability and toxicity of the primary transformation products observed in the revised works, an initial approach to these topics, using a predictive tool, was made. Finally, from the present review, it was evidenced the need for future works involving zeolites that provide results about the simultaneous removal/elimination of multiple pharmaceuticals in complex matrices (e.g., hospital wastewater or municipal wastewater), new information about biodegradability and toxicity plus the development of combination or coupling of processes with other AOTs (e.g., sonochemistry) or classical systems (e.g., biological process).

Antibiotics are extensively used in human medicine, aquaculture, and animal husbandry, leading to the release of antimicrobial resistance into the environment. This contributes to the rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs), posing a significant threat to human health and aquatic ecosystems. Conventional wastewater treatment methods often fail to eliminate ARGs, prompting the adoption of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to address this growing risk. The study investigates the efficacy of visible light-driven photocatalytic systems utilizing two catalyst types (TiO 2 -Pd/Cu and g-C 3 N 4 -Pd/Cu), with a particular emphasis on their effectiveness in eliminating bla TEM , ermB , qnrS , tetM . intl1 , 16 S rDNA and 23 S rDNA through photocatalytic ozonation and peroxone processes. Incorporating O 3 into photocatalytic processes significantly enhances target removal efficiency, with the photocatalyst-assisted peroxone process emerging as the most effective AOP. The reemergence of targeted contaminants following treatment highlights the pivotal importance of AOPs and the meticulous selection of catalysts in ensuring sustained treatment efficacy. Furthermore, Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis reveals challenges in eradicating GC-rich bacteria with TiO 2 and g-C 3 N 4 processes, while slight differences in Cu/Pd loadings suggest g-C 3 N 4 -based ozonation improved antibacterial effectiveness. Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis highlights the efficacy of the photocatalyst-assisted peroxone process in treating diverse samples.

The removal of four representative pharmaceuticals—sulfamethoxazole (SMX), carbamazepine (CBZ), diclofenac (DCF) and ibuprofen (IBU)—was investigated in a model aqueous solution using UV-C photolysis, ozonation and a hybrid UV/O3 process. UV-C and UV/O3 experiments were conducted at initial pH 3, ~6 and 8, whereas single ozonation was applied at pH ~6 as a near-neutral reference. The processes were compared in terms of removal efficiency, apparent pseudo-first-order kinetics and kinetic enhancement. UV-C photolysis showed pronounced compound selectivity, with efficient removal of DCF and SMX but limited transformation of CBZ and IBU. Ozonation markedly improved the removal of ozone-reactive compounds, particularly CBZ and DCF. Under near-neutral conditions, UV/O3 provided high removal efficiencies for all target compounds after 30 min. Kinetic analysis showed that UV/O3 enhancement was compound-specific: apparent synergy was observed for CBZ and IBU, with SF values of 1.43 and 1.24, respectively, whereas SMX showed a subadditive response. DCF was rapidly removed under UV/O3 but was excluded from the main SF comparison because its concentration approached the lowest calibrated concentration level. These results indicate that UV/O3 is especially useful for poorly UV-susceptible pharmaceuticals.

Efficient lead halide perovskite solar cells use hole-blocking layers to help collection of photogenerated electrons and to achieve high open-circuit voltages. Here, we report the realization of efficient perovskite solar cells grown directly on fluorine-doped tin oxide-coated substrates without using any hole-blocking layers. With ultraviolet–ozone treatment of the substrates, a planar Au/hole-transporting material/CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3- x Cl x /substrate cell processed by a solution method has achieved a power conversion efficiency of over 14% and an open-circuit voltage of 1.06 V measured under reverse voltage scan. The open-circuit voltage is as high as that of our best reference cell with a TiO 2 hole-blocking layer. Besides ultraviolet–ozone treatment, we find that involving Cl in the synthesis is another key for realizing high open-circuit voltage perovskite solar cells without hole-blocking layers. Our results suggest that TiO 2 may not be the ultimate interfacial material for achieving high-performance perovskite solar cells. Lead halide perovskite solar cells use hole-blocking layers to allow a separate collection of positive and negative charge carriers and to achieve high-operation voltages. Here, the authors demonstrate efficient lead halide perovskite solar cells that avoid using this extra layer.