H2O2: From Sustainable Synthesis to Fenton Assisted Environmental Application of Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has great application prospects in the wastewater treatment environmental field due to its clean degradation product of merely H2O. While the green synthesis and highly efficient purification are also challengeable but significant. Thus, we intended to overview the H2O2 preparation methods, which are environmentally friendly, producing efficiently and economically. Here, we first discussed the most widely used H2O2 producing method of anthraquinone autoxidation synthesis method and put forward the main drawback. Six ideal substitute methods were next put forward which are oxidation of alcohols, photocatalysis, synthesis from CO/O2/H2O mixtures, direct synthesis method, fuel cell method, and direct electrosynthesis method. We then analyzed the traditional homogeneous Fenton process and summarized the promising substitute application of H2O2 in water treatment through heterogeneous Fenton processes from three main points. They are advanced heterogeneous iron oxychloride, heterogeneous electro Fenton catalytic assistance, and heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalytic assistance. Finally, a new sequential process of H2O2 applied in the environment as a form of water treatment was envisaged and named as One-stop Sequential H2O2 Process combining each way from the source and terminal. Additionally, in all the methods mentioned, we restated mechanisms and redrawn them more concisely and clearly to make them easier to understand.