Design, mechanism and environmental application of Fenton-type based catalytic membranes

Fenton-type catalytic membranes can achieve both physical separation and chemical degradation within a single system, making them an advanced technology for the efficient removal of organic pollutants in water and wastewater treatment. Through the advanced oxidation process (AOPs) of the Fenton reaction, not only organic pollutants can be efficiently degraded, but also membrane fouling can be reduced. This paper reviews the fabrication and environmental application of Fenton-type catalytic membranes. First, bibliometric tools were used to analyze the changes in research hotspots and their co-occurrence in past three decades. On this basis, the preparation methods of Fenton-type catalytic membranes, including nonsolvent induced phase separation, electrospinning, vacuum filtration process, and hydrothermal/solvothermal methods, were compared, and the advantages and existing problems of these methods were analyzed. Then, the filtration and catalytic mechanisms in the process of treating organic pollutants and the existing challenges were discussed in detail. Finally, the applications of Fenton-type catalytic membrane technology in the separation and degradation of pollutants in synthetic dyes, the pharmaceutical industry, and agricultural wastewater, as well as in heavy metal removal and disinfection, were reviewed. Challenges that need to be addressed and outlook for large-scale application of Fenton-type catalytic membranes are also discussed.