Influence of surface functionalities of pyrogenic carbonaceous materials on the generation of reactive species towards organic contaminants: A review

Pyrogenic carbonaceous materials (PCM) with diverse surface functionalities are recently described as efficient, heterogeneous, nonmetallic mediators or catalysts, and show excellent performances in the degradation of organic contaminants. Herein, surface functionalities considered to be responsible for the reactivity of PCM are overviewed. It is shown that chemical surface functionalities of PCM can mediate the production of reactive species from oxygen, peroxides, persulfate, ozone for contaminants elimination, including oxygen functionalities, nitrogen functionalities, sulfur functionalities, and persistent free radicals. The possible generation processes of various reactive species promoted or inhibited by surface functionalities and the underlying reaction mechanisms of the further organic transformations are also summarized. The reaction mechanisms of electron transfer, addition and hydrogen abstraction are established. Furthermore, the applications of PCM mediators in aquatic environment, soil and atmosphere are presented to highlight the bright application prospects, and future prospects for the organic contaminant degradation mediated via PCM are proposed.

Automated summary

Pyrogenic carbonaceous materials (PCM) with diverse surface functionalities have been demonstrated as efficient mediators or catalysts in the degradation of organic contaminants by facilitating the production of reactive species. The chemical surface functionalities of PCM play a crucial role in promoting or inhibiting the generation of various reactive species, and the underlying reaction mechanisms of organic transformations are also established, showing potential for future applications in organic contaminant degradation.