Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, and Applications of Ultrasound/Oxidation Technology in Wastewater Treatment

Ultrasonic cavitation generates high temperatures and reactive free radicals, providing a suitable physicochemical environment for the thermal decomposition and oxidation of organic matter. However, degradation efficiency is influenced by multiple factors, including ultrasonic frequency and energy, temperature, pH value, and pollutant concentration. Nevertheless, the major drawbacks of low efficiency and high energy consumption in ultrasonic cavitation technology still affect its practical application. Therefore, considering the synergistic effect between ultrasonic cavitation technology and Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) to achieve higher efficiency and reduce energy consumption, this approach has received significant attention and has become a main research direction for treating organic pollutants in water. This account mainly focuses on the principles and influencing factors of ultrasonic cavitation, the synergistic mechanism of ultrasound and AOPs, and their applications in the practical treatment of typical organic compounds. The main directions, problems, and improvement ideas for the future development of ultrasonic cavitation technology are discussed. Ultrasonic cavitation technology must rely on the synergistic use of AOPs to achieve economic feasibility. Furthermore, the development of catalysts in ultrasound/AOPs will become the mainstream focus of current research on the degradation of organic matter in water.