Advancements and challenges in Fenton-based advanced oxidation processes for antibiotic removal in wastewater: From the laboratory to practical applications

The widespread prevalence of antibiotics in aquatic environments poses significant global environmental and public health challenges. The substantial use of antibiotics, combined with inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure, contributes to the accumulation of these drugs in water sources, resulting in the emergence of antibiotic resistance and disruption of ecological processes. Fenton-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) utilize reactive oxygen species (ROS) to degrade antibiotics into less harmful substances, offering a promising solution for antibiotic pollution. The ROS generated during the treatment processes play a crucial role in completely degrading antibiotic contaminants. This review assesses the application of different Fenton processes, from laboratory research to real-world application. While experimental studies in the lab demonstrate high degradation efficiency, there are various economic, environmental, and technological challenges in scaling up these processes. Recent advancements, including hybrid systems such as photo-Fenton, sono-Fenton, and electro-Fenton, have improved antibiotic degradation and mineralization efficiency, and also addressed some scale-up obstacles. Practical application using enhanced laboratory processes and advanced reactor designs has significantly increased pollutant removal rates, contributing to the establishment of Fenton processes as viable alternatives to conventional wastewater treatment methods. The research highlights the ongoing requirements for research and development to further improve Fenton processes, ensuring their effective and sustainable application in wastewater treatment for efficient antibiotic removal across diverse water matrices in terms of process reliability and scalability.