This work demonstrated that Enteromorpha biochar with introduced iron (SFB900-3) could activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) efficiently for NTP remediation. It removed 83.9%–95.1% of NTP in 60 min under a wide pH range from 3.15 to 8.95. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed the synergistic relationship between internal Fe single atoms and introduced Fe compounds—Fe₃C. The adsorption capacity of SFB900-3 for persulfate improved from −0.953 eV to −4.214 eV, and the Bader charge analysis showed that Fe atoms as active sites (0.658 e) enhanced the adsorption capacity more than carbon (0.050 e). Moreover, the energy barrier for PMS dissociation reduced from 0.072 eV to −5.372 eV due to the longer length of O–O bond under the synergistic effect of Fe single atom and Fe₃C which increased from 1.467 Å to 3.890 Å. The quenching experiment confirmed that ¹O₂ was the main active substance in NTP degradation and its contribution rate was 88.2%, which was further verified by EPR detection. The effect factor experiments proved that the SFB900-3/PMS system had stable and efficient activity for NTP removal, which remained at 73.6% removal rate after three rounds of tests. This work provided novel guidance for constructing efficient and stable biochar-based materials for organic pollutant remediation. Graphical Abstract

Sulfate radicals have been increasingly used for the pathogen inactivation due to their strong redox ability and high selectivity for electron-rich species in the last decade. The application of sulfate radicals in water disinfection has become a very promising technology. However, there is currently a lack of reviews of sulfate radicals inactivated pathogenic microorganisms. At the same time, less attention has been paid to disinfection by-products produced by the use of sulfate radicals to inactivate microorganisms. This paper begins with a brief overview of sulfate radicals’ properties. Then, the progress in water disinfection by sulfate radicals is summarized. The mechanism and inactivation kinetics of inactivating microorganisms are briefly described. After that, the disinfection by-products produced by reactions of sulfate radicals with chlorine, bromine, iodide ions and organic halogens in water are also discussed. In response to these possible challenges, this article concludes with some specific solutions and future research directions.

Thallium is widely used in industrial and agricultural development. However, there is still a lack of systematic understanding of its environmental hazards and related treatment methods or technologies. Here, we critically assess the environmental behavior of thallium in aqueous systems. In addition, we first discuss the benefits and limitations of the synthetic methods of metal oxide materials that may affect the practicality and scalability of TI removal from water. We then assess the feasibility of different metal oxide materials for TI removal from water by estimating the material properties and contaminant removal mechanisms of four metal oxides (Mn, Fe, Al, and Ti). Next, we discuss the environmental factors that may inhibit the practicality and scalability of Tl removal from water. We conclude by highlighting the materials and processes that could serve as more sustainable alternatives to TI removal with further research and development.