A vast number of pharmaceuticals have been detected in surface water and drinking water around the world, which indicates their ineffective removal from water and wastewater using conventional treatment technologies. Concerns have been raised over the potential adverse effects of pharmaceuticals on public health and aquatic environment. Among the different treatment options, ozonation and advanced oxidation processes are likely promising for efficient degradation of pharmaceuticals in water and wastewater. Recent progress of advanced oxidation of aqueous pharmaceuticals is reviewed in this paper. The pharmaceuticals and non-therapeutic medical agent of interest include antibiotics, anticonvulsants, antipyretics, beta-blockers, cytostatic drugs, H₂ antagonists, estrogenic hormone and contraceptives, blood lipid regulators, and X-ray contrast media.

A vast number of persistent organic pollutants have been found in wastewater effluent, surface water, and drinking water around the world. This indicates their ineffective removal from water and wastewater using conventional treatment technologies. In addition to classical persistent organics such as organochlorine insecticides, solvents, and polychlorinated biphenyls, a growing number of emerging pollutants of both synthetic and natural origins have been identified as major environmental pollutants in recent years. A variety of advanced and conventional treatment options have been suggested for the removal and/or destruction of these persistent organics in water and wastewater, such as chemical oxidation, activated carbon adsorption, and membrane filtration. Of these options, chemical oxidation using ozone, alone or in combination with additional physical/chemical agents (i.e., advanced oxidation), has been proved a highly effective treatment process for a wide spectrum of emerging aqueous organic pollutants, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, surfactants, microbial toxins, and natural fatty acids. In this paper, we discuss the emerging organic pollutants of concern in the aquatic environment and focus on the issues associated with their removal using ozonation and advanced oxidation processes.

Pesticide pollution of surface water and groundwater has been recognized as a major problem in many countries because of their persistence in aquatic environment and potential adverse health effects. Among various water and wastewater treatment options, ozonation and ozone-based advanced oxidation processes, such as ozone/hydrogen peroxide, ozone/ultraviolet irradiation, and ozone/hydrogen peroxide/ultraviolet irradiation, are likely key technologies for degrading and detoxifying these pollutants in water and wastewater. In this paper, ozone-based treatment of four major groups of pesticides, namely carbamates, chlorophenoxy compounds, organochlorines, and organophosphates, are reviewed. Degree of pesticide degradation, reaction kinetics, identity and characteristics of degradation by-products and intermediates, and possible degradation pathways are covered and discussed.

Pesticide pollution of surface water and groundwater has been recognized as a major problem in many countries because of the persistence of pollutants in aquatic environments and the consequent potential adverse health effects. Various hydrogen peroxide-based advanced oxidation processes, such as hydrogen peroxide/ultraviolet irradiation, Fenton, photo-Fenton, and electro-Fenton processes are likely key technologies for degrading and detoxifying these pollutants in water and wastewater. In this paper, the hydrogen peroxide-based advanced oxidation treatment of eight major groups of pesticides, namely aniline-based compounds, carbamates, chlorophenoxy compounds, organochlorines, organophosphates, pyridine and pyrimidine derivatives, triazines, and substituted ureas, as well as that of several miscellaneous pesticides, is reviewed. The degree of pesticide degradation, reaction kinetics, identity and characteristics of degradation by-products and intermediates, and possible degradation pathways are covered and discussed. Key words: advanced oxidation processes, degradation, Fenton, fungicide, herbicide, hydrogen peroxide/ultraviolet irradiation, insecticide, pesticide, photo Fenton, wastewater treatment.

Surfactants are used in varieties of industrial cleansing processes as well as in consumer products. Spent surfactants normally enter domestic or industrial wastewater and are treated biologically. However, some of them are resistant to biodegradation and are released into the environment. Thus, the toxicity and environmental persistence of these surfactants are emerging concerns. Based on extensive review of the literature, ozonation and advanced oxidation using various combinations of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet light irradiation, and iron salts were found effective in degrading recalcitrant surfactants, including linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, and quaternary ammonium surfactants. Biodegradability of these surfactants was improved after the treatment to some extent in the aqueous solution as well as in real wastewaters.

Pesticides are known to be persistent in surface water and groundwater supplies and as a result, their existence in these water sources has been recognized as a major problem in many countries. The occurrence of these persistent pesticides in water bodies can also cause potential adverse public and environmental health effects. Among many water and wastewater treatment options, ozonation and ozone-based advanced oxidation processes, such as ozone/hydrogen peroxide, ozone/ultraviolet irradiation, and ozone/hydrogen peroxide/ultraviolet irradiation, possess a high potential for degrading and detoxifying these pollutants in water and wastewater. In this paper, ozone based treatment of four major groups of pesticides, namely aniline-based compounds, pyridines and pyrimidines, triazines, and substituted ureas, as well as that of several miscellaneous pesticides are reviewed. Degree of pesticide degradation, reaction kinetics, identity and characteristics of degradation by-products, and possible degradation pathways are covered and discussed.