ABSTRACT
Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are known for the partial or whole exclusion of pollutants from the environment. These processes transform non-biodegradable pollutants into environmentally safer and biodegradable substances. This chapter covers homogeneous advanced oxidation and associated processes with or without harnessing energy. Among these processes, the Fenton process (homogeneous) is the most studied, which involves the generation of strong ●OH radicals in the presence of Fe (II) from H2O2. Other techniques include ozonation, O3/H2O2, O3/UV process, O3/UV/H2O2 process, UV/H2O2, vacuum ultraviolet irradiation, and electrochemical and sonochemical AOPs. These processes are superior to conventional ones in that they efficiently degrade the pollutants and thus minimize the generation of hazardous by-products. The major advantages of homogeneous advanced oxidation processes (HAOPs) include being eco-friendly, operating in mild conditions, and being time-efficient. Moreover, these processes have many applications in the industrial sectors, i.e., leather, chemicals, photochemical reactor, oil refining, and textile industries.
