The role of carbonate as a catalyst of Fenton-like reactions in AOP processes: CO 3 ˙ − as the active intermediate

Kinetic and DFT results for the carbonate catalysed Co(H2O)6(2+) + H2O2 Fenton-like reaction suggest a mechanism involving the formation of a cyclic transient, cyclic-(CO4)Co(II)(OOH)(H2O)2(-) that decomposes into Co(II)(H2O)(OOH)(OH)2 + CO3˙(-), i.e. no OH˙ radicals are involved. Plausible biological implications are pointed out.