New breakthrough in water treatment in 2025: How ozone decomposition catalysts can solve industrial wastewater problems

During the National Urban Water Conservation Promotion Week in 2025, industrial wastewater treatment has once again become the focus. With the improvement of environmental protection standards, traditional water treatment technology is facing bottlenecks, and the innovative application of ozone decomposition catalysts is providing a new path to solve this problem. This "invisible environmental guardian" has become a hot technical direction in the field of water treatment by accelerating ozone decomposition and converting stubborn pollutants in industrial wastewater into harmless substances.

1. Ozone decomposition catalyst: the "key" to cracking industrial wastewater
Industrial wastewater often contains high concentrations of organic matter, heavy metals and other pollutants, which are difficult to completely degrade by traditional processes. The core function of ozone decomposition catalysts is to convert ozone (O₃) into more oxidizing hydroxyl radicals (・OH) through materials such as metal oxides (such as Al₂O₃, MnO₂). These free radicals are like "molecular scissors" that can indiscriminately cut off organic molecular chains, increasing the COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal rate from 25% to more than 50%. For example, in the wastewater treatment of a chemical park, the addition of catalysts makes the ozone utilization rate close to 100%, and no additional chemical agents are required, truly realizing "green purification".

It is worth noting that the application of nanotechnology has greatly improved the performance of catalysts. The two-dimensional lamellar catalyst developed by the Tsinghua University team enhances mass transfer efficiency through microchannel structure, and can efficiently purify chemical tail water at low dosage. This "micro-nano synergistic" design solves the problems of slow diffusion and low utilization of active sites in traditional catalysts, providing a more economical choice for industrial scenarios.

2. From laboratory to production line: implementation of catalyst technology
The advantages of ozone decomposition catalysts are moving from scientific research papers to practical applications. In the zero-carbon industrial park of Yijinhuoluo Banner, Inner Mongolia, the recycling rate of photovoltaic wastewater reaches 95% after "ozone catalytic oxidation + biochemical treatment", which can save thousands of tons of water resources every year. This combination of technologies not only reduces the water cost of enterprises, but also reduces carbon emissions through the "waste treatment" model, which is in line with the "double carbon" goal.

Another breakthrough comes from the steel industry. A company uses ozone micro-nano bubble technology to treat coking wastewater, which can achieve nearly 100% ozone utilization without solid catalysts, and no sludge is generated, reducing operating costs by more than 30%. This innovative process has been included in the key promotion list of the "Action Plan for High-quality Development of Environmental Protection Equipment Manufacturing Industry (2022-2025)", marking the transformation of catalyst technology from "experimental products" to "standardized solutions".

III. Resonance of policies and technologies: Promoting water governance into a new stage

2025 is regarded as a key node for the implementation of environmental protection technologies. my country has clearly required that the utilization of recycled water exceed 23 billion cubic meters by 2025, and ozone catalytic oxidation technology is one of the core means to achieve this goal. At the policy level, the "14th Five-Year Plan for Ecological and Environmental Protection" emphasizes the promotion of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and ozone synergy, which further stimulates the demand for the catalyst market.

Technological iteration is also accelerating. For example, palladium-enhanced carbon catalysts can maintain an ozone removal rate of more than 97% in a high humidity environment by adjusting electronic properties, solving the pain point of poor water resistance of traditional catalysts. This material innovation combined with "smart monitoring" can adjust the reaction conditions in real time through AI to achieve precise and intelligent wastewater treatment.

IV. Future Trends: Paradigm Upgrade from "Pollution Control" to "Water Saving"
As the awareness of urban water conservation increases, ozone decomposition catalysts are extending from "end-of-pipe treatment" to "source control". For example, in industries with extremely high water quality requirements such as semiconductor manufacturing, catalysts can treat cleaning wastewater to reuse standards and achieve the goal of "zero emission". This technical extension not only reduces the water cost of enterprises, but also promotes industrial green transformation through the "water-energy-resource" circulation model.

It is worth noting that the "cross-border integration" of catalysts has become a new direction. The light-heat synergistic catalytic technology combines ultraviolet rays with ozone to achieve a toluene removal rate of over 98.5% in automobile spray exhaust treatment, while eliminating secondary ozone pollution. This multi-technology synergistic model provides a comprehensive solution for complex pollution scenarios.

Conclusion

From steel coking wastewater to urban recycled water systems, ozone decomposition catalysts are reshaping the technical landscape of water governance. With the integration of nanomaterials, AI control and other technologies, this field will continue to break through efficiency and cost bottlenecks, providing solid support for the realization of environmental protection goals in 2025. For enterprises and scientific research institutions, seizing this technological dividend is not only a response to policy calls, but also the key to seizing the green economy.

 author：Hazel
 date:2025-05-21