Synergistic Photocatalysis-Self-Fenton Systems for Environmental Remediation: A Mini-Review

Jing Xu; Huabin Zhang

doi:10.53941/see.2026.100009

Abstract

Environmental contaminants contained in various wastewater can pose a severe danger to ecological environment and public safety if not properly treated. Photocatalysis-self-Fenton (PSF) technology, integrating the advantages of photocatalysis and Fenton methods, can achieve highly efficient removal performance towards multiple pollutants due to “self-production and self-utilization” of H₂O₂ and increased generation of oxidizing species. Organic photocatalysts (g-C₃N₄, porphyrin, etc.) can be appropriate candidates for constructing PSF system by virtue of their characteristic surface structures and adequate band positions for in-situ H₂O₂ production. Meanwhile, several inorganic photocatalysts (Bi₂WO₆, Zn₂In₂S₅, etc.) after modification have also been proven to have the potential for H₂O₂ generation and constructing PSF system. Therefore, in this mini-review, the superiority, synergistic reaction mechanism, and essential requirement for the catalyst of PSF system were precisely described. Moreover, various photocatalysts with excellent H₂O₂ production activities enhanced by varieties of modification strategies were concretely discussed, while the applications of related PSF systems with high oxidation and mineralization abilities in contaminants elimination were also emphasized. Finally, the challenges and outlooks for the development of PSF technology in future studies were put forward.

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