Water Purification Technologies Research Articles

Metadata and feature importance analyses of membrane capacitive deionization models: Is a water treatment artificial intelligence panacea possible?

Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) is an emerging technology for water purification and desalination. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques using machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) have been widely applied to overcome the drawbacks of conventional numerical models in predicting effluent concentrations, an important parameter to estimate the energy consumption and degree of desalination of the MCDI process. However, despite the remarkable progress of these ML/DL models, relevant studies have only been conducted with limited datasets, leading to a substantial controversy regarding model accuracy. Therefore, in this study, we comprehensively evaluated the performances and applicability of multiple ML/DL models for MCDI using metadata (i.e., performance indices) and feature importance analyses. One MCDI dataset containing both constant-current and constant-voltage operations was reconfigured uniformly or unevenly depending on operation modes. Subsequently, six ML models and one DL model were used to execute the analyses using performance indices. Collectively, this study suggests that a perfect ML/DL model for the water treatment process may not exist, and understanding data types is as important as selecting appropriate models to build a data-driven AI model when process performance is greatly affected by specific input variables (i.e., current and voltage).

Preparation of 2D/2D CoAl-LDH/BiO(OH)XI1−X Heterojunction Catalyst with Enhanced Visible–Light Photocatalytic Activity for Organic Pollutants Degradation in Water

Hydrotalcite/bismuth solid solution (2D/2D CoAl-LDH/BiO(OH)XI1−X) heterojunction photocatalysts were fabricated through a hydrothermal route. Because of their identical layered structure and interlayer hydroxides, CoAl-LDH(2D) and BiO(OH)XI1−X(2D) form a tightly bonded heterojunction, resulting in efficient light absorption, excitation, and carrier migration conversion. At the same time, the large specific surface area and abundant hydroxyl groups of the layered structure make the heterojunction catalyst exhibit excellent performance in the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants. Under visible light irradiation and in the presence of 1 g/L of the catalyst, 10 mg/L of methyl orange (MO) in water could be completely degraded within 20 min, and the degradation rate of tetracycline (TC) reached 99.23% within 5 min. CoAl-LDH/BiO(OH)XI1−X still maintained good photocatalytic degradation activity of tetracycline after five cycles, and the structure of the catalyst did not change. The reaction mechanism related to the degradation of TC by photocatalytic reactions was explored in detail, and the photoexcitation of the semiconductor heterojunction, as well as the subsequent free radical reaction process and the degradation pathway of TC were clarified. This work provides a promising strategy for the preparation of efficient photocatalytic materials and the development of water purification technology.

Manipulating 2D Membrane Interlayer Channels with Accelerated Mass-Transfer Behavior to Boost Solar Desalination.

The scarcity of fresh water necessitates sustainable and efficient water desalination strategies. Solar-driven steam generation (SSG), which employs solar energy for water evaporation, has emerged as a promising approach. Graphene oxide (GO)-based membranes possess advantages like capillary action and Marangoni effect, but their stacking defects and dead zones of flexible flakes hinders efficient water transportation, thus the evaporation rate lag behind unobstructed-porous 3D evaporators. Therefore, fundamental mass-transfer approach for optimizing SSG evaporators offers new horizons. Herein, a universal multi-force-fields-based method is presented to regularize membrane channels, which can mechanically eliminate inherent interlayer stackings and defects. Both characterization and simulation demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach across different scales and explain the intrinsic mechanism of mass-transfer enhancement. When combined with a structurally optimized substrate, the 4Laponite@GO-1 achieves evaporation rate of 2.782kg m-2 h-1 with 94.48% evaporation efficiency, which is comparable with most 3D evaporators. Moreover, the optimized membrane exhibits excellent cycling stability (10 days) and tolerance to extreme conditions (pH 1-14, salinity 1%-15%), verifies the robust structural stability of regularized channels. This optimization strategy provides simple but efficient way to enhance the SSG performance of GO-based membranes, facilitating their extensive application in sustainable water purification technologies.

Homogenous Oxidizing Oligomerization Coupled with Coagulation for Water Purification

Natural manganese oxides could induce the intermolecular coupling reactions among small-molecule organics in aqueous environments, which is one of the fundamental processes contributing to natural humification. These processes could be simulated to design novel advanced oxidation technology for water purification. In this study, periodate (PI) was selected as the supplementary electron-acceptor for colloidal manganese oxides (Mn(IV)aq) to remove phenolic contaminants from water. By introducing polyferric sulfate (PFS) into the Mn(IV)aq/PI system and exploiting the flocculation potential of Mn(IV)aq, a post-coagulation process was triggered to eliminate soluble manganese after oxidation. Under acidic conditions, periodate exists in the H4IO6− form as an octahedral oxyacid capable of coordinating with Mn(IV)aq to form bidentate complexes or oligomers (Mn(IV)-PI*) as reactive oxidants. The Mn(IV)-PI* complex could induce cross-coupling process between phenolic contaminants, resulting in the formation of oligomerized products ranging from dimers to hexamers. These oligomerized products participate in the coagulation process and become stored within the nascent floc due to their catenulate nature and strong hydrophobicity. Through coordination between Mn(IV)aq and H4IO6−, residual periodate is firmly connected with manganese oxides in the floc after coagulation and could be simultaneously separated from the aqueous phase. This study achieves oxidizing oligomerization through a homogeneous process under mild conditions without additional energy input or heterogeneous catalyst preparation. Compared to traditional mineralization-driven oxidation techniques, the proposed novel cascade processes realize transformation, convergence, and separation of phenolic contaminants with high oxidant utilization efficiency for low-carbon purification.

Photocatalytic degradation of paracetamol on immobilized TiO2 in a low-tech reactor by solar light for water treatment

Photocatalytic water treatment is an appealing concept to mineralize organic contaminants in contaminated water. In this study, the UV-resistant drug paracetamol (PCT) in aqueous solution is degraded by using a solar irradiated loop-reactor equipped with a TiO2 (P25) photocatalyst. The catalyst powder was dispersed in a geopolymer surface coating applied to aluminum-U-profiles connected by filament-printed polymer elements. Different assays with variations in initial PCT concentration were performed under natural solar radiation to determine the degradation kinetics of the PCT and correlate it to applied solar radiation energy density. Depending on experimental conditions, degradation efficiencies of 37.0–75.1 % were achieved within 3 h. Control samples without catalyst show no degradation. No degradation of the catalyst activity was observed within 42 h of operation time. The study shows the feasibility of this simple and scalable reactor design and coating technology for water purification under off-grid conditions provided sufficient solar radiation is available.

Reactive layered hydroxide membrane for advanced water treatment: Micropollutant degradation and antifouling potential

The effective removal of micropollutants by water treatment technologies remains a significant challenge. Herein, we develop a CoFe layered double hydroxide (CoFeLDH) catalytic membrane for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to achieve efficient micropollutant removal with improved mass transfer rate and reaction kinetics. This study found that the CoFeLDH membrane/PMS system achieved an impressive above 98% degradation of the probe chemical ranitidine at 0.1 mM of PMS including five more micropollutants (Sulfamethoxazole, Ciprofloxacin, Carbamazepine, Acetaminophen and Bisphenol A) at satisfactory level (above 80%). Moreover, significant improvements in water flux and antifouling properties were observed, marking the membrane as a specific advancement in the removal of membrane fouling in water purification technology. The membrane demonstrated consistent degradation efficiency for several micropollutants and across a range of pH (4–9) as well as different anionic environments, thereby showing it suitability for scale-up application. The key role of reactive species such as SO4•–, and O2• − radicals in the degradation process was elucidated. This is followed by the confirmation of the occurrence of redox cycling between Co and Fe, and the presence of CoOH+ that promotes PMS activation. Over the ten cycles, the membrane could be operated with a flux recovery of up to 99.8% and maintained efficient performance over 24 h continuous operation. Finally, the efficiency in degrading micropollutants, coupled with reduced metal leaching, makes the CoFeLDH membrane as a promising technology for application in water treatment.

Novel fibrous Ag(NP) decorated clay-polymer composite: Implications in water purification contaminated with predominant micro-pollutants and bacteria

Due to the potential harm caused by emerging micro-pollutants to living organisms, contaminating water supplies by micro-pollutants like EDCs, pharmaceuticals, and microorganisms has become a concern in many countries. Considering both microbiological and micro-pollutant exposure risks associated with water use for agricultural/or household purposes, it is imperative to create a strategy for improving pollutant removal from treated wastewater that is both effective and affordable. Natural clay minerals efficiently remove contaminants from wastewater, though the pristine clay has less affinity to several organic pollutants. Hydrophilic polymers, viz., poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), improve the dispersion of particles, flocculation processes, and surface properties. In this study, PEG grafted with attapulgite, thereby providing a high-specific surface-area, mesoporous materials for the adsorption of micro-pollutants like ciprofloxacin (CIP) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) at high rates. A gentle washing process regenerates the clay-polymer material several times with no performance loss, and the natural water implications show fair applicability of solid in decontaminating the CIP and EE2 in an aqueous medium. Further, greenly synthesized silver nanoparticles in situ disperse with the clay polymer efficiently remove the gram-positive and gram-negative bacterium viz., Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are commonly persistent in aquatic environments. The clay polymer outperformed a modified clay composite to eliminate microorganisms and organic micro-pollutants in significant quantities quickly. These results clearly show the importance of fibrous clay-polymer composite for water purification technologies.

Enhancing photocatalytic wastewater treatment: investigating the promising applications of nickel ferrite and its novel nanocomposites.

Water contamination ranks highest among the challenges posed by the rapidly increasing environmental contamination, which is thought to be the most pressing issue globally. The development of innovative techniques for the successful removal of diverse types of undesirable pollutants from wastewater would therefore yield a huge return on investment. Nowadays, the removal of many organic and synthetic pollutants from the environmental matrix is anticipated to be possible by photocatalytic degradation, owing to its low energy consumption, high catalytic activity, and low overall cost. In this context, magnetic nanoparticles received greater attention as photocatalytic materials from the scientific community in wastewater treatment for the removal of different kinds of pollutants due to their specific properties. The present study provides an overview of the recent advances in water treatment using nickel ferrite nanoparticles and their nanocomposites as photocatalysts. Furthermore, a proposed mechanism for these photocatalysts to generate active free radicals under visible and ultraviolet light has been described. The review concludes that photocatalysts based on NiFe2O4 have potential applications in water purification technologies. However, more research is still needed to determine their practical application in water treatment facilities.

Safety of Tap Water in Terms of Changes in Physical, Chemical, and Biological Stability

Monitoring the quality of tap water in the distribution system and the ability to estimate the risk of losing its sanitary safety is an important aspect of managing the collective water supply system. During monitoring, the physical, chemical, and biological stability of water was assessed, which is the main determinant ensuring the appropriate quality of water for consumers. The physicochemical and microbiological quality of water was analyzed for two distribution systems (DSs), including the analysis of heavy metals (Zn, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb). The tests carried out showed that in both distribution systems, the water supplied to consumers met the guidelines for water intended for human consumption. It can be considered that the risk of uncontrolled changes in water quality in DSs with an average water production of <10,000 m3/d and the length of water pipelines < 150 km is very low. The water introduced into the system differed in the place of water intake and water purification technology, which influenced the final water quality. In DS(II), higher values were recorded for hardness, conductivity, calcium, alkalinity, nitrates, and DOC. It was found that the content of heavy metals during water transport to the consumer increased in the case of DS(I) for Zn, Ni, Cu, Cd, and Pb, and in the case of DS(II) for Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu, Cd, and Pb. The observed differences resulted from the different quality of the intake water as well as from different materials used to build internal installations and their age and technical condition. The analyzed tap water was characterized by physical and chemical stability. However, the water did not meet the guidelines for water biostability due to the increased content of biogenic substances.

Innovations and challenges in adsorption-based wastewater remediation: A comprehensive review

Water contamination is an escalating emergency confronting communities worldwide. While traditional adsorbents have laid the groundwork for effective water purification, their selectivity, capacity, and sustainability limitations have driven the search for more advanced solutions. Despite many technological advancements, economic, environmental, and regulatory hurdles challenge the practical application of advanced adsorption techniques in large-scale water treatment. Integrating nanotechnology, advanced material fabrication techniques, and data-driven design enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have led to a new generation of optimized, high-performance adsorbents. These advanced materials leverage properties like high surface area, tailored pore structures, and functionalized surfaces to capture diverse water contaminants efficiently. With a focus on sustainability and effectiveness, this review highlights the transformative potential of these advanced materials in setting new benchmarks for water purification technologies. This article delivers an in-depth exploration of the current landscape and future directions of adsorbent technology for water remediation, advocating for a multidisciplinary approach to overcome existing barriers in large-scale water treatment applications.

More resilient polyester membranes for high-performance reverse osmosis desalination.

Thin-film composite reverse osmosis membranes have remained the gold standard technology for desalination and water purification for nearly half a century. Polyamide films offer excellent water permeability and salt rejection but also suffer from poor chlorine resistance, high fouling propensity, and low boron rejection. We addressed these issues by molecularly designing a polyester thin-film composite reverse osmosis membrane using co-solvent-assisted interfacial polymerization to react 3,5-dihydroxy-4-methylbenzoic acid with trimesoyl chloride. This polyester membrane exhibits substantial water permeability, high rejection for sodium chloride and boron, and complete resistance toward chlorine. The ultrasmooth, low-energy surface of the membrane also prevents fouling and mineral scaling compared with polyamide membranes. These membranes could increasingly challenge polyamide membranes by further optimizing water-salt selectivity, offering a path to considerably reducing pretreatment steps in desalination.

Optimization and development of denser Chlorella vulgaris microalgae granules for easy harvesting via self-flocculation

Microalgae is widely utilized in water purification technology, biofuel production as well as in the synthesis of biopolymers. However, the separation of microalgae from its growth medium is the major issue that restricts the harvesting processes due to microalgae's lower density. In this study, the effect of environmental factors on microalgae granules development was investigated. Results from response surface methodology (RSM) revealed that maximum growth rate and biomass productivity were obtained at a photoperiod of 23.9 h, aeration rates of 2.4 L/min, inoculum concentration of 11 % and pH 6 respectively. The mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) value of the initial seed microalgae increased from 50 mg/L to 2978 mg/L after 70 days of cultivation. Microalgae productivity in this study is approximately 2 times faster than the standard suspension growing method. The microalgae settleability was significantly enhanced, as indicated by a major reduction in the sludge volume index (SVI30) from an initial value of >3000 to 58.51 mL/g, accompanied by an increase in settling velocity from virtually 0 to 19.2 cm/h and total harvesting time of 15 min. After 70 days of operation, smoothly settled, compact algal granules with largest sizes of 1.90 mm were obtained.

Advanced Technology for Desalination and Water Purification

Water scarcity stands as a critical challenge of our era, affecting approximately four billion individuals who confront severe water shortages for at least one month annually [...]

Novel photoelectrocatalytic system of oxygen vacancy-rich black TiO2-x nanocones photoanode and natural air diffusion cathode for efficient water purification and simultaneous H2O2 production

Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) system harnesses solar energy for chemical reactions, representing a highly promising renewable energy-based technology for water purification. Herein, we design a novel separated PEC system that integrates water purification on an oxygen vacancy-rich black TiO2 nanocones (b-TiO2-x) photoanode with two-electron O2 reduction reaction for H2O2 production on a natural air diffusion cathode. This integration benefits from thermodynamic advantages, synergy effects and enhanced •OH production, thus exhibiting superior water purification (98.32%, 0.064 min−1) and H2O2 production (6.83 μmol/h/cm2) at ultra-low applied cell voltage of 0.5 V, with the energy consumption of only 0.034 kWh/m3 wastewater treated, where the simultaneous production of value-added H2O2 could fully compensate for the electric cost of the system. Notably, even under real sunlight irradiation, this system achieves efficient water purification and H2O2 production without additional energy consumption, offering a cost-effective and environmental-benign strategy for the dual purpose of water purification and resourcization.

Sustainable and eco-friendly membranes from sugarcane bagasse: An upcycling approach for wastewater treatment and energy storage

Developing eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic membranes is crucial in advancing modern membrane technology for water purification. In a pioneering effort, sustainable free-standing Forward Osmosis (FO) membranes composed of cellulose-derived from waste agricultural sugarcane bagasse (SBC) and PVA were developed. These membranes represent a novel upcycling approach, offering both biodegradability and sustainability while ensuring the production of high-quality water. Various analytical techniques were employed to characterize the SBC and membranes. The SBC exhibited a surface area of 1.9 m2 g−1, as determined by BET analysis and was rich in various functionalities. Membrane contact angle measurements revealed their hydrophilic nature. The optimized membrane, SBC-15-DS, demonstrated remarkable performance with an osmotic water flux (OWF) of 9.5 ± 0.2 L m−2h−1, reverse solute flux (RSF) of 0.23 ± 0.01 mol m−2h−1, and specific solute flux (SSF) of approximately 0.009 mol L−1, achieving > 99 % retention for all pollutants. Notably, flux rates of 11 to 14 L m−2h−1 with 99 % rejection were attained for various real industry wastewaters. The SBC-15-DS membrane exhibited excellent stability over 216 h without backwashing, and its biodegradability was confirmed through mulching. Furthermore, fouled membranes were recycled through pyrolyzing at 900 °C, yielding carbon for fabricating supercapacitor electrodes. These electrodes exhibited a specific capacitance of 115 F g−1 at a current density of 0.1 A g−1. Thus, these membranes hold promise for the advancement of sustainable and eco-friendly water purification methods in FO processes.

In English

The aim of presented work was to synthesize geopolymers based on the metakaolin and to determine their adsorption capability in the process of cesium and strontium ions removal from the aqueous solutions. New approaches were proposed for obtaining the two samples of geopolymers in techologically suitable forms. Morphology of materials was investigated by means of X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), low-temperature nitrogen adsorption/desorption and scanning electron microscopic studies (SEM). As it follow from the data of XRF analysis, SiO2 and Al2O3 oxides found to be the major components in all samples investigated (~ 54–84 wt. %). As was determined by SEM studies, geopolymers consisted from nanosized particles, amorphous geopolymers binder and unreacted kaolin. It has been found that all samples involve the mesopores with approx. 1–40 nm radii. The greatest specific surface area calculated by the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) method had the sample obtained in the forms of spherical rods (SBET = 88 m2/g) that about 10 times greater than for initial kaolin taken for synthesis. The ion exchange capacities of materials in the process of Cu2+, Cs+ and Sr2+ removal from water solution were determined and it was found that these properties depends on the method of materials obtaining. Data showed that the geopolymers were more effective for removal the desired ions than initial kaolin. The greatest adsorption capacity towards cesium ions was received on the samples obtained in forms of pyramids and was reached 1.75 mmol/g. Experimental data were fitted into the Langmuir models and the main Langmuir constants were calculated. When analysing the data of investigation with comparing the literature data it was noted that geopolymers obtained can be used in adsorption technology for purification of water from radionuclides as technologically suitable sorbents.

Determination of technogenic risks when using various water purification technologies

In modern conditions, ensuring the reliability and safety of water supply systems is a primary task for the industrial economy and the safety of life of the population of Ukraine. Constant bombing and damage to critical infrastructure facilities, including water management facilities, endangers the stability and quality of the country's water resources. In this context, conducting research on the identification of man-made risks in water treatment systems using various technologies, as well as developing strategies to increase the reliability and safety of operation of water supply systems are becoming relevant for the industrial sector of Ukraine. In order to increase the reliability of water treatment units and their operational safety, man-made risks were investigated when using ion exchange, electrodialysis, and water distillation technologies at thermal power plants. It is shown that during normal operation of the ion-exchange water purification system with an average productivity of 400 m3/h, in the case of frequent changes in the concentration of salts at the inlet, the risk of receiving underpurified water is 0.0783. This value must be taken into account for the assessment of economic and social-ecological risks, since it exceeds the generally accepted value of 0.01. When using electrodialysis water purification and frequent changes in the concentration of salts at the inlet, the risk of receiving underpurified water is 0.0271. This value is also greater than 0.01 risk accepted as acceptable. The water distillation technology has enough margin to compensate for any deviations in the purification process and gives a very low risk. However, the distillation process is more effective in removing only soluble impurities, while in the case of suspended substances, in particular of organic origin, there is a risk of exceeding the limit of 0.01.

Jellyfish-inspired sustainable and facile porous zwitterionic hydrogel sponge for efficient solar thermal desalination and water purification

Solar thermal desalination (STD), as a type of eco-friendly desalination and water purification technology is instrumental in mitigating the issue of water scarcity globally. Nevertheless, technology challenges persist for accomplishing a multi-purpose, high evaporation rate combine with low-cost and durability. In this research, we glean inspiration from marine jellyfish to propose a novel design for a solar evaporation device that is low-cost, easy to deployment and high efficiency. The evaporator incorporated carbon black for broad spectrum solar absorption, pristine cotton textile capillary action could maintain a sufficient water provision for continuous steam generating. Notably, the zwitterionic hydrogel exhibited excellent salt resistance and water activation properties, promoting water evaporation and enhancing the long-term stability of the evaporator effectively. Under one solar irradiance of 1 kW m−2, the evaporator raised an outstanding evaporation rate of 2.158 kg m-2h−1 and the energy efficiency was 88.71 %. Besides, it demonstrated broad applicability in purifying complex contaminated water sources and could obtain clean water from them. It was anticipated that this evaporator could be an effective solution for alleviating water source shortage especially for economically stressed regions. This research provided novel insights and potential applications for the expansion of STD technology in areas such as renewable energy utilization, off-grid desalination and waste water treatment. Furthermore, it offered guidance and inspiration for future in-depth research of the water-energy-climate nexus.

Removal of Cephalexin-Antibiotic from Drinking Water by Designing CaCl2 Incorporated Chitosan Co- Tragacanth Gum Composite Hydrogel

Background: The prevalence of antibiotic contaminants in aquatic environments presents a critical challenge to public health, necessitating the development of efficient removal methods. Emerging pollutants, especially antibiotics, have been implicated in the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, threatening ecological balance and human well-being. Objective: This study aims to synthesize and evaluate the efficacy of a CaCl2-based composite hydrogel using chitosan as a biopolymer for the adsorption of antibiotic pollutants from water, targeting the improvement of water purification technologies in healthcare settings. Methods: Chitosan-based composite hydrogels were synthesized via free radical polymerization, incorporating CaCl2 and utilizing techniques such as Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) for morphology analysis, Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis for elemental verification, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for functional group identification, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine crystallinity. Physicochemical parameters, including contact time, pH, temperature, reusability, and swelling behavior in various media, were systematically assessed to ascertain the hydrogel's adsorptive performance. Results: The synthesized hydrogels demonstrated a porous and rough surface ideal for adsorption, with an initial antibiotic removal rate of 80% within 30 minutes of contact time. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups corresponding to absorption bands at 1053, 1415, 1601, 2600, 2900, 3300, and 3500 cm-1. EDX and XRD analyses affirmed the incorporation of CaCl2, with a crystalline phase characterized by sharp peaks. The hydrogel's maximum adsorption efficiency reached 95% at an optimized adsorbent dose of 0.05 g. Conclusion: The CaCl2-based composite hydrogel exhibits significant potential for the removal of antibiotic pollutants from water, suggesting a viable approach to mitigate the environmental impact of pharmaceutical contaminants and enhance human health by reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance.

In situ single iron atom doping on Bi2WO6 monolayers triggers efficient photo-fenton reaction

Developing an efficient photocatalytic system for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activation in Fenton-like processes holds significant promise for advancing water purification technologies. However, challenges such as high carrier recombination rates, limited active sites, and suboptimal H2O2 activation efficiency impede optimal performance. Here we show that single-iron-atom dispersed Bi2WO6 monolayers (SIAD-BWOM), designed through a facile hydrothermal approach, can offer abundant active sites for H2O2 activation. The SIAD-BWOM catalyst demonstrates superior photo-Fenton degradation capabilities, particularly for the persistent pesticide dinotefuran (DNF), showcasing its potential in addressing recalcitrant organic pollutants. We reveal that the incorporation of iron atoms in place of tungsten within the electron-rich [WO4]2− layers significantly facilitates electron transfer processes and boosts the Fe(II)/Fe(III) cycle efficiency. Complementary experimental investigations and theoretical analyses further elucidate how the atomically dispersed iron induces lattice strain in the Bi2WO6 monolayer, thereby modulating the d-band center of iron to improve H2O2 adsorption and activation. Our research provides a practical framework for developing advanced photo-Fenton catalysts, which can be used to treat emerging and refractory organic pollutants more effectively.