Perspectives of the solar photo-Fenton process against the spreading of pathogens, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes in the environment

Application of solar treatments for wastewater (WW) reuse is a current research activity for water stress remediation. The solar photo-Fenton (SPF) process involves the irradiation of water containing iron (as a catalyst) and H2O2 to promote the generation of the highly powerful oxidative and nonselective hydroxyl radical, giving rise to the removal/inactivation of organic pollutants and microorganisms. Recently, the spreading of the so-called antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their counterpart genetic elements (antibiotic-resistant genes) has become a highly concerning challenge for WW discharge and/or reuse due to the risk/impact on health for humans and the environment. As such, this review is focused on the capability of the SPF process regarding the elimination of the aforementioned targets from WW. Key parameters in the optimization of SPF at the laboratory and pilot plant scale, as well as limitations and future perspectives for actual implementation, are discussed.