Microemulsions as reaction media. Self‐organizing assemblies in an environmental cleanup problem

A microemulsion system has been developed that simultaneously destroys three environmental contaminants by combined oxidative/hydrolytic pathways. The method is rapid, cheap, and mild. No special equipment (stirrer, heater, photolyzer, etc.) is required. Self‐organization converts a seemingly intractable 8‐component mixture into a useful system, a tactic discovered by living cells long ago.