Making waves: Overcoming toxicity and deactivation challenges in polymerization-based wastewater treatment.
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| Title: | Making waves: Overcoming toxicity and deactivation challenges in polymerization-based wastewater treatment. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Duan, Pi-Jun1 (AUTHOR), Huang, Jun-Jie1 (AUTHOR), Bai, Chang-Wei1 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Zhi-Quan1 (AUTHOR), Chen, Xin-Jia1 (AUTHOR), Wang, Jing1 (AUTHOR), Chen, Fei1 (AUTHOR) fchen0505@cqu.edu.cn |
| Source: | Water Research. Jan2026:Part A, Vol. 288, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p. |
| Subjects: | Wastewater treatment, Catalyst poisoning, Sustainability, Polymerization, Electrochemical analysis, Poisons, Bioconcentration |
| Abstract: | • Polymerization-based oxidation processes present a promising alternative to traditional AOPs. • Polymerization products pose enhanced bioconcentration and toxicity risks despite efficiency. • Polymer adhesion deactivates catalysts by blocking sites and hindering electron transfer. • Coupled removal processes and electrochemical regeneration address toxicity and deactivation. Polymerization-based oxidation processes (PBOP) present a promising alternative to chemical and energy-intensive advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for removing emerging pollutants in water treatment. By reducing oxidant consumption and minimizing carbon emissions, PBOP offers a more sustainable solution. However, the polymerization products generated in these processes pose significant sustainability challenges, including potential toxicity and catalyst deactivation. Firstly, the polymeric products formed during PBOP exhibit increased hydrophobicity (higher K ow), which correlates strongly with enhanced bioconcentration potential (K B) and aquatic toxicity. Residual dissolved polymers, or those reentering the environment, present ecological risks through non-specific narcosis (due to their lipophilic nature) and potential specific toxicity arising from retained functional groups, such as benzene rings. Secondly, in heterogeneous catalytic systems, these polymeric byproducts tend to adsorb onto catalyst surfaces via hydrophobic interactions and van der Waals forces. Over time, this deposition blocks active sites, impairs reactant adsorption and activation, potentially repels oxidants, and disrupts electron transfer, ultimately leading to catalyst deactivation. This mechanism, which was often previously attributed to "degradation intermediates," is now understood to be driven by the accumulation of polymeric products. Several strategies have been proposed to address these challenges and ensure the sustainable implementation of PBOP. These include coupling PBOP with energy-efficient microfiltration or coagulation processes to remove polymeric byproducts effectively and develop efficient and environmentally friendly catalyst regeneration technologies. Promising approaches involve in-situ electrochemical regeneration or the transformation of polymers into catalytic sites, which also enable resource utilization. A comprehensive understanding of the environmental toxicity of polymeric products, coupled with insights into the mechanisms of catalyst deactivation, is essential for advancing PBOP technology in an environmentally responsible manner. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Water Research is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 189283409 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Making waves: Overcoming toxicity and deactivation challenges in polymerization-based wastewater treatment. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Duan%2C+Pi-Jun%22">Duan, Pi-Jun</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Huang%2C+Jun-Jie%22">Huang, Jun-Jie</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bai%2C+Chang-Wei%22">Bai, Chang-Wei</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Zhi-Quan%22">Zhang, Zhi-Quan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Xin-Jia%22">Chen, Xin-Jia</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Jing%22">Wang, Jing</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Fei%22">Chen, Fei</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> fchen0505@cqu.edu.cn</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Water+Research%22">Water Research</searchLink>. Jan2026:Part A, Vol. 288, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wastewater+treatment%22">Wastewater treatment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Catalyst+poisoning%22">Catalyst poisoning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polymerization%22">Polymerization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electrochemical+analysis%22">Electrochemical analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Poisons%22">Poisons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bioconcentration%22">Bioconcentration</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: • Polymerization-based oxidation processes present a promising alternative to traditional AOPs. • Polymerization products pose enhanced bioconcentration and toxicity risks despite efficiency. • Polymer adhesion deactivates catalysts by blocking sites and hindering electron transfer. • Coupled removal processes and electrochemical regeneration address toxicity and deactivation. Polymerization-based oxidation processes (PBOP) present a promising alternative to chemical and energy-intensive advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for removing emerging pollutants in water treatment. By reducing oxidant consumption and minimizing carbon emissions, PBOP offers a more sustainable solution. However, the polymerization products generated in these processes pose significant sustainability challenges, including potential toxicity and catalyst deactivation. Firstly, the polymeric products formed during PBOP exhibit increased hydrophobicity (higher K ow), which correlates strongly with enhanced bioconcentration potential (K B) and aquatic toxicity. Residual dissolved polymers, or those reentering the environment, present ecological risks through non-specific narcosis (due to their lipophilic nature) and potential specific toxicity arising from retained functional groups, such as benzene rings. Secondly, in heterogeneous catalytic systems, these polymeric byproducts tend to adsorb onto catalyst surfaces via hydrophobic interactions and van der Waals forces. Over time, this deposition blocks active sites, impairs reactant adsorption and activation, potentially repels oxidants, and disrupts electron transfer, ultimately leading to catalyst deactivation. This mechanism, which was often previously attributed to "degradation intermediates," is now understood to be driven by the accumulation of polymeric products. Several strategies have been proposed to address these challenges and ensure the sustainable implementation of PBOP. These include coupling PBOP with energy-efficient microfiltration or coagulation processes to remove polymeric byproducts effectively and develop efficient and environmentally friendly catalyst regeneration technologies. Promising approaches involve in-situ electrochemical regeneration or the transformation of polymers into catalytic sites, which also enable resource utilization. A comprehensive understanding of the environmental toxicity of polymeric products, coupled with insights into the mechanisms of catalyst deactivation, is essential for advancing PBOP technology in an environmentally responsible manner. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Water Research is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1016/j.watres.2025.124585 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 1 StartPage: N.PAG Subjects: – SubjectFull: Wastewater treatment Type: general – SubjectFull: Catalyst poisoning Type: general – SubjectFull: Sustainability Type: general – SubjectFull: Polymerization Type: general – SubjectFull: Electrochemical analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Poisons Type: general – SubjectFull: Bioconcentration Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Making waves: Overcoming toxicity and deactivation challenges in polymerization-based wastewater treatment. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Duan, Pi-Jun – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Huang, Jun-Jie – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bai, Chang-Wei – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zhang, Zhi-Quan – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chen, Xin-Jia – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wang, Jing – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chen, Fei IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Text: Jan2026:Part A Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00431354 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 288 Titles: – TitleFull: Water Research Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
