Ultrasound-assisted advanced oxidation processes for water decontamination

, alumina and zero-valent iron and assisted by ultrasound are promising options not only for the destruction of the parent compounds, but also for the mineralization of their oxidation byproducts. The degradation reactions in heterogeneous solutions take place mostly at the catalyst surface despite the high-water solubility of the compounds; v) sonolytic modification of the above catalysts to reduce their particle size (to nano-levels) or to decorate the surface with metallic nanoparticles increases the catalytic activity under sonolysis, photolysis and both, and improves the stability of the catalyst.