Fenton oxidation system for treating petroleum-contaminated solid waste: Advances and prospects

Both normal activities and accidental spills in the petroleum industry generate solid waste that contain petroleum-contaminated pollutants (referred to as “petroleum-contaminated solid waste”), which mainly include petroleum-contaminated soil, petroleum sludge, and petroleum-based drill cuttings. At present, most relevant studies focus solely on the treatment effects of the Fenton system alone in treating a specific type of petroleum-contaminated solid waste, and systematic studies on the influencing factors, degradation pathways, and applicability of the system are lacking. For this reason, this paper reviews the application and development of the Fenton system to treat petroleum-contaminated solid waste in the period from 2010 to 2021 and summarizes its basic properties. It also compares the influencing factors (e.g., Fenton reagent dosage, initial pH, and catalyst properties), degradation mechanisms, and reagent costs of conventional Fenton, heterogeneous Fenton, chelate-modified Fenton, and electro-Fenton systems for the treatment of petroleum-contaminated solid waste. In addition, the main degradation pathways and intermediate toxicities of typical petroleum hydrocarbons in Fenton systems are analyzed and evaluated, and development directions for the further application of Fenton systems in treating petroleum-contaminated solid waste are proposed. [Display omitted] •The basic properties of petroleum-contaminated solid waste are summarized.•The performance, mechanism, and reagent cost of Fenton systems are discussed.•The degradation pathways of typical petroleum hydrocarbons are analyzed.•Further possible routes for treating petroleum-contaminated solid waste are proposed.