Xiaoyu WU, Shurun YANG, Jiali LIU, Jiamei LIU, Zhihui XIE, Peng ZHOU, Heng ZHANG, Jing ZHANG, Zhaokun XIONG, Chuanshu HE, Bo LAI
Homogeneous Fenton-like technology, as an efficient water treatment process, has been widely applied in the remediation of complex industrial wastewater. In recent years, the continuous proposal of novel mechanisms within homogeneous Fenton-like systems has provided new opportunities for the deep degradation of pollutants,among which the complexation-mediated interactions between metal ions and pollutants are of particular significance. This paper systematically reviewed the critical roles of metal-pollutant complexes in Fenton-like systems, with a focused analysis of the efficiency-enhancing mechanisms of complexes in three representative reaction systems: Photo-Fenton systems, H2O2 activation systems, and peroxymonosulfate(PMS)/peroxydisulfate(PDS) activation systems. This paper revealed that complexes significantly improved pollutant degradation efficiency by modulating metal redox cycling kinetics, lowering redox potentials, and altering radical generation pathways. Furthermore, the influences of metal ion properties(oxidation states, coordination modes) and pollutant structural characteristics(functional groups, steric hindrance) on complexation behavior were clarified. Based on these mechanistic insights, an innovative “coordination-oxidation synergy” regulatory strategy was proposed. This strategy not only provided novel perspectives for designing highly selective heterogeneous catalysts but also established a theoretical foundation for optimizing process parameters in complex wastewater treatment.