Catalytic Function in Mn-Based Ozonation: From Interfacial Chemistry to Treatment Value

Abstract Manganese-based catalytic ozonation has developed rapidly for water treatment, yet growing structural and mechanistic complexity has made it increasingly difficult to relate observed performance to catalytic function and treatment value. This review reframes the field through five claim domains: observed enhancement, interface-dependent catalytic function, active-site and pathway assignment, productive ozone use, and operational retention. It first separates the catalytic contribution of the Mn-containing interface from co-occurring chemical and transport effects, and then examines its mechanistic basis in relation to chemically defined Mn environments and kinetically relevant O3-derived pathways. The analysis further distinguishes pollutant disappearance from productive ozone use and evaluates the persistence of established catalytic function under increasingly complex water matrices and process conditions. The resulting evidence-centered architecture moves evaluation beyond apparent activity toward a more defensible understanding of catalytic function, treatment value, and operational robustness, thereby supporting more rational catalyst development and process translation under realistic water treatment conditions.