Sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes for agro-industrial effluents treatment: A comparative review with Fenton's peroxidation

Agro-industrial wastewater management becomes a major task while environmental regulations are becoming stricter worldwide. Agro-industrial wastewaters are known by high content of organic pollutants that cause an adverse effect on the water bodies. Industries are looking for efficient, easy-to-use and affordable treatment processes. Sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes (S-AOPs) are arising as suitable alternatives for agro-industrial effluents treatment. In this review, the major findings regarding the application of this technology for real agro-industrial wastewater depuration are discussed. Moreover, these technologies are compared as an alternative to Fenton's process, which is a widely studied advanced oxidation process and with high efficiency in the treatment of agro-industrial effluents. The studies already carried out are promising, but there is still a great lack of studies in this area and using this technique. [Display omitted] •Can SRbAOP be an alternative to the Fenton process for wastewater treatment?•SRbAOP are arising as suitable alternatives for agro-industrial effluents treatment.•SRbAOP have similar efficiency to Fenton’s for POME and OMW effluents depuration.•By-products toxicity must be accounted when developing new oxidation technologies.•Pilot-studies are required to understand and optimize SRbAOP technologies.