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Solution pH is one of the primary factors affecting the efficiency of water decontamination. Although the influence of pH on oxidants activation, catalyst activity, and reactive oxygen species have been widely explored, there is still a scarcity of systemic studies on the changes in the oxidation behavior of organic pollutants at different pH levels. Herein, we report the influence laws of pH on the forms, reactivities, active sites, degradation pathways, and products toxicities of organic pollutants. Changes in pH cause the protonation or deprotonation of organic pollutants and further affect their forms and chemistry (e.g., electrostatic force, hydrophobicity, and oxidation potential). The oxidation potential of organic pollutants follows the order: protonated form > pristine form > deprotonated form. Moreover, protonation or deprotonation can modify the active sites and degradation pathways of organic pollutants, wherein deprotonation renders them more susceptible to electrophilic attack, while protonation reduces their activity against electrophilic and nucleophilic attacks. Additionally, pH adjustments can modify the degradation pathway and the toxicity of transformation products. Overall, pH changes can affect the oxidation fate of organic pollutants by altering their structure, which distinguishes it from the effect of pH on oxidants or oxidant activation processes. [Display omitted] • Solution pH alters the oxidation behavior of organic pollutants. • Deprotonation augments the reactivity of organic pollutants while protonation diminishes it. • Protonation and deprotonation modify the active sites and degradation pathways. • The toxicity of the transformation products can be controlled by adjusting the solution pH [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) finds applications in fields as different as nanomedicine, art preservation, air and water depollution and surface decontamination. Here we present photocatalytic nanoparticles (NP) that are active only at acidic pH while they do not show relevant ROS photo‐generation at neutral pH. This dual responsivity (to light and pH) is achieved by stabilizing the surface of TiO2 NP with a specific organic shell during the synthesis and it is peculiar of the achieved core shell‐structure, as demonstrated by comparison with commercial photocatalytic TiO2 NP. For the investigation of the photocatalytic activity, we developed two methods that allow real time detection of the process preventing any kind of artifact arising from post‐treatments and delayed analysis. The reversibility of the pH response was also demonstrated as well as the selective photo‐killing of cancer cells at acidic pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • mAg 3 PO 4 @g-C 3 N 4 /PDS/Vis enhance CBZ degradation rate by 3.6-fold. • 87.15 % mineralization of CBZ was achieved in 30 min via mAg 3 PO 4 @g-C 3 N 4 /PDS/Vis. • 1O 2 -dominated ring-opening is identified to be key for improved mineralization. • Multiple PhACs in the effluent are simultaneously degraded with high mineralization. The wide occurrence of pharmaceutically active contaminants (PhACs) in aquatic environments has received more and more concern owing to the associated high risks to ecosystems. Even worse, conventional wastewater treatment techniques fail to provide effective decontamination for these emerging contaminants. Herein, we designed and constructed mAg 3 PO 4 @g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction for a persulfate-assisted photocatalytic system (mAg 3 PO 4 @g-C 3 N 4 /PDS/Vis) for the rapid and effective degradation of PhACs. Superior mineralization of CBZ (87.15 %) was achieved within 30-minute treatment with mAg 3 PO 4 @g-C 3 N 4 /PDS/Vis, exhibiting 11-fold enhancement compared to mAg 3 PO 4 /Vis system. Integrating experimental investigations with theoretical calculations, singlet oxygen (1O 2) was identified as the key reactive species, while the 1O 2 -dominated ring-opening pathway contributed significantly to the high mineralization of CBZ. Moreover, mAg 3 PO 4 @g-C 3 N 4 /PDS/Vis showed robust degradation performance of multiple PhACs across various water matrices. Multiple PhACs could be simultaneously degraded with high mineralization efficiency in the wastewater effluent, demonstrating the promising application of mAg 3 PO 4 @g-C 3 N 4 /PDS/Vis for decontaminating emerging contaminants in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen vacancies (OVs)-rich α-Ni 0.2 Fe 1.8 O 3 with dual metal sites was synthesized by Ni2+ isomorphously substituted α-Fe 2 O 3 to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for aceclofenac (ACF) degradation. A novel insight was proposed for the overlooked role of H 2 O in the surface-complexed process between PMS and unsaturated metal sites induced by OVs. The surface-bond SO 4 ∙- and ∙OH were demonstrated as the dominant reactive oxygen species (ROS). In situ ATR and Raman spectra revealed the reaction of HSO 5 - with the surface metal sites by replacing the surface-bonded -OH. The DFT study revealed the spontaneous formation of hydrolyzed -OH on OVs (∆G=−1.45 eV), which was further replaced by HSO 5 - to complex with metal sites (∆G=−3.58 eV). The O Ⅰ of the H-O Ⅰ -O Ⅱ -SO 3 - was more readily bonded with the Ni or Fe sites around OVs, causing the O-O cleavage for SO 4 ∙- generation. This study proposed a brand-new perspective for the interfacial behavior of PMS activation. [Display omitted] • The α-Ni 0.2 Fe 1.8 O 3 with rich oxygen vacancies can excellently activate PMS. • The surface-bond SO 4 ∙- and ∙OH played a major role in the degradation of ACF. • HSO 5 - was mainly bonded to metal sites by replacing surface -OH groups. • The interfacial mechanism for PMS activation by α-Ni 0.2 Fe 1.8 O 3 was proposed. • The degradation pathway of ACF by α-Ni 0.2 Fe 1.8 O 3 /PMS system was deduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singlet oxygen (1O 2) plays a crucial role in Fenton-like reactions due to its high efficiency and selectivity in removing trace organic pollutants from complex water matrices. Defect engineering, which allows the efficient exposure of active sites and optimization of electronic structures, has rapidly emerged as a fundamental strategy for enhancing 1O 2 yield. Herein, we introduce tunable sulfur vacancy (V S) density into Co 9 S 8 catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The modulation of the octahedral Co (CoS 6) and tetrahedral Co (CoS 4) electronic structures by V S triggers the unexpected selective generation of 1O 2. The V S /PMS system exhibits excellent resistance to interference and highly selective degradation of electron-donating organic pollutants. Experimental and theoretical calculations revealed a new evolutionary route for 1O 2 involving two phases (Phase I: HSO 5 − → *O, Phase II: *O + HSO 5 − →*OO → 1O 2). This study provides a molecular-level understanding of V S -mediated catalytic selectivity for high-efficient decontamination applications. [Display omitted] • Co 9 S 8 catalysts with tunable V S was fabricated to PMS activation for contaminants degradation. • The optimized V S /PMS system achieved 1O 2 -dominated degradation mechanism. • Regulation d-band center of Co-3d orbital boosted the process of HSO 5 − adsorption and activation. • Combining experiment and DFT results revealed a new evolutionary route of 1O 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Efficient 1O 2 nanogenerator was precisely constructed by regulating Fe spin state. • Low spin-state Fe induced nonradical conversion from H 2 O 2 to 1O 2. • The 1O 2 -dominated system selectively removed low ionization potential contaminants. • Stable Fh/BiOI transformed high-toxic contaminant into low-toxic products. • Fh/BiOI exhibited excellent mineralization performance towards secondary effluent. The hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2)-based photo-Fenton-like was a promising technology for the generation of singlet oxygen (1O 2), which was highly desirable in water purification. However, the yield of 1O 2 in traditional radical system was low due to the radical competition. Targeted construction of the non-radical system could solve the above issue, but it has been a challenge. In this study, we targetedly regulated the Fe spin state to efficiently generate 1O 2 in a nonradical path. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrated that low-spin FeIII enhanced H 2 O 2 adsorption, directly extracted electrons from H 2 O 2 to Fe center, and rapidly cleaved O–H bond to accelerate the recombination of *OOH with H 2 O 2 for efficient 1O 2 generation. This unique nonradical process differed obviously from the traditional radical pathway for 1O 2 generation. The developed 1O 2 -dominant 50Fh/BiOI/H 2 O 2 /vis system degraded 98.4% of TCH, which was higher than that in •OH-dominant Fh/H 2 O 2 /vis system (84.2%) and it had excellent resistance to various substances, including inorganic ions, dissolved organic matter and real water matrix (tap water and secondary effluent). This study enhanced our understanding of spin-state-dependent photo-Fenton-like reaction and inspired the targeted development of a new-generation selective wastewater treatment technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anode graphite was recovered from a spent lithium ion battery (LIB) and reutilized as a carbon precursor to obtain graphene-based materials. Characterization results revealed that impurities were removed from the obtained graphite powder by cleansing processes. The as-synthesized reduced graphene oxide (rGO) from the purified graphite (LIB-rGO) demonstrated excellent catalytic ozonation activity against organic pollutants removal. To probe potential catalytic active sites, LIB-rGOs with different defective levels but similar oxygen contents were synthesized. Catalytic ozonation tests revealed that a higher defective level resulted in a greater catalytic activity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation further demonstrated that ozone molecules could spontaneously decompose into active oxygen species on graphene structural vacancies and edges, which consolidated the role of defective structure in catalytic ozonation activity. Meanwhile, we discovered the pollutant-structure-dependent behavior of dominant reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the aid of radical scavenging tests and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra. For phenolic pollutants vulnerable to direct ozone attacking, superoxide radicals (O 2 − ) and singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) were found to be responsible ROS, whereas hydroxyl radicals ( OH) were identified as the principle ROS for aliphatic organic pollutants destruction. This study not only put forward a possible way for reutilization of waste LIB anode, but also stepped further for investigating the catalytic ozonation mechanism towards the graphene-based materials including the active sites and the generation of ROS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The 1O 2 -mediated advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have significant potential in wastewater treatment. • The physical and chemical properties, and reaction characteristics of 1O 2 are summarized. • 1O 2 can be produced by many pathways including direct catalytic and energy-assisted activation. • Multiple mature detection methods of 1O 2 are collected in this review. • The existing deficiencies and improvements of 1O 2 -mediated AOPs are discussed. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been widely used in contaminants decomposition to reduce their harm. Especially, the singlet oxygen (1O 2)-mediated AOPs have been considered a promising decontamination method due to their good ability to resist water matrix in actual wastewater treatment. However, there are still some doubts about the important role of 1O 2 in wastewater treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively summarize the characteristics, detection methods, and generation pathways of 1O 2 based on the latest research. In this review, various characteristics of 1O 2 are comprehensively summarized, including its molecular structure, orbital energy, lifetime in solvents, reaction characteristics and reaction pathways. Next, the generation pathways of 1O 2 including catalytic ozonation, hydrogen peroxide, persulfate, periodate, photocatalysis, electrochemical, and peracetic acid activation systems are summarized. Additionally, 1O 2 can be detected by various methods such as fluorescence probes, chemiluminescence probes, quenching tests, electron paramagnetic resonance, deuterium oxide experiments, and product analysis. The combination of multiple detection methods can improve accuracy of 1O 2 detection. Finally, the existing deficiencies and improvements in mechanism exploration, detection means and practical application of 1O 2 are also contained. It is expected that this review can provide new inspiration for subsequent research on 1O 2 -mediated AOPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene is a novel two-dimensional (2D) material with unique optical properties and excellent water dispersibility related to rich surface termination. This study uses its properties to design an innovative magnetic catalyst made of waste iron chips (WI), surface-modified with a 2D Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene. We further utilize it to advance a heterogeneous Fenton process for industrial dye removal. Novel WI-MXene nanocomposite catalyst overcame difficulties associated with the acidic pH range, frequently required for efficient generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via Fe (II) activity. The photo-active 2D MXene enabled the WI-MXene catalyst activation in the visible light range and near-neutral pH with excellent performance in decomposing model organic dye - methylene blue (MB). The novel catalyst showed over 95 % efficiency in decomposing MB upon UV light irradiation at pH = 5 and about 62 % in decomposing the total organic carbon (TOC). Since the WI-MXene had a band gap of about 1 eV, it also showed a tunable activity toward specific light ranges. The irradiation with 550 nm (cyan) light gave the highest photo-Fenton efficiency. Analysis of the fundamental process mechanism showed a massive ROS evolution and a minor adsorption activity of WI-MXene toward decomposed dye. The post-process stability analysis did not show any changes in the WI-MXene structure. Further regeneration of spent WI-MXene enabled its reuse with 90 % efficiency at various pH values. Collectively, the obtained results show a high potential for MXene-enabled photo-Fenton processes. [Display omitted] • Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene embedded on waste iron grains were showed excellent magnetic and optical properties. • The nanocomposite was successfully utilized as catalyst in heterogeneous photo-Fenton process to decompose methylene blue. • 96 % of MB decomposition and 62 % of TOC decomposition was achieved within pH near neutral. • The catalyst was separated after the process, regenerated and reused, with 90 % of dye removal efficiency. • The waste iron with Ti 3 C 2 T x /Vit.C MXene reduced the toxicity against model Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anionic photosensitizers such as rose Bengal (RB) exhibit low efficiency in the photoinactivation of Gram-negative bacteria. Different strategies have been developed to improve their efficiency being the most effective the addition of the photosensitizer to organic cationic materials. In this context, we have designed the synthesis of a novel heterogeneous photocatalyst based on silica in which the oxidizing properties of singlet oxygen photogenerated by RB have been combined with the chemoattraction of the bacteria to the cationic chains and their biocidal action. Thus, RB and cationic chains have been covalently linked to glass wool to obtain a photocatalyst that showed a highly efficient photodynamic activity against the Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. In addition, the new heterogeneous photocatalyst also resulted to be efficient in the decontamination of drugs such as diclofenac under visible light irradiation. [Display omitted] • Chemical strategy for the preparation of novel heterogeneous photocatalysts. • Efficient photodynamic activity against Gram-positive/negative bacteria by heterogeneous Rose Bengal cationic photocatalyst. • Strong synergistic effect produced by cationic chains and rose bengal on Gram-negative bacteria photoinactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A heterogeneous catalytic system of NaBiO 3 for PMS without light irradiation was investigated. • Both radical (SO 4 −• and •OH) and non-radical (1O 2) were contributed to BPAF degradation. • The contribution rate of 1O 2 , · SO- 4, and · OH was calculated as 80.4%, 8.7%, and 9.9%, respectively. It has been shown previously that the NaBiO 3 (NBO) could efficiently photocatalytically degrade organic contaminants because of its excellent photocatalytic property. In this study, we proposed a heterogeneous catalytic system of NBO for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) without light irradiation. The results showed that NBO/PMS exhibited excellent performance toward bisphenol AF (BPAF) degradation and mineralization. The effectiveness of the NBO/PMS system was also investigated in different multicomponent systems. The effects of initial pH, NBO dosages, and PMS concentration for BPAF degradation were also investigated. Radical quenching experiments combined with electron spin resonance analysis indicated that singlet oxygen (1O 2) was the main reactive oxygen species, and · SO 4 - and · OH– radicals participated in the process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the main catalytic mechanism: lattice oxygen (O vac) was extruded during the transformation of Bi(V) to Bi(III) to form and activate oxygen (O*), and the generated O* between the [BiO 6 ] regular octahedral layers reacted with PMS on the NBO surface to form 1O 2. Based on the results of the Bi element, it is suggested that the activation process proceeded through electron transfer from NBO to PMS. The stability of NBO and applicability of the NBO/PMS system in a natural water environment were explored. This work provides a novel approach to PMS activation and the potential use of NBO for the decontamination of organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An effective way for treating high-salinity organic wastewater was developed. • CuO/MXene nanocomposite was prepared to activate PMS for carbamazepine degradation. • CuO/MXene/PMS system presented > 95.88% removal of carbamazepine within 20 min. • The inhibition of inorganic anions was conquered by CuO/MXene/PMS system. • 1O 2 was identified as dominant ROS and its contribution was verified. The degradation of organic contaminants via traditional radical-dominated advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) under high salinity conditions was limited due to side reactions between coexisting inorganic anions and radicals. Herein, a nonradical oxidation process via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation by CuO/MXene for treating high-salinity organic wastewater was developed. Rapid removal efficiency of target pollutant carbamazepine (CBZ) was significantly enhanced to 95.88% within 20 min by CuO/MXene under high salinity conditions (NaCl, 200 mM), compared to the efficiency of 4.30% exhibited by PMS alone. Besides, CBZ maintained a higher removal efficiency of > 81.04% in complex highly saline wastewater composed of eight common inorganic anions. Radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis confirmed that radical and nonradical oxidation processes were involved in the catalytic process. However, singlet oxygen (1O 2) was identified as the primary reactive species, and its contribution rate to CBZ degradation was > 73.58% in a wide pH range (3.0-9.0). The oxygenated functional groups and the interaction between CuO/MXene and PMS facilitated the production of 1O 2. The degradation pathway was proposed based on the detection of intermediates. This work provided a new inspiration for the decontamination of organic contaminants under high salinity conditions via a nonradical oxidation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given high selectivity and excellent stability, zirconium oxides are very promising in selective removal of arsenic, fluorine, and phosphorus from water. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to prepare sub-10 nm zirconium oxides of ultra-high adsorptive reactivity. Herein, we prepared hydrated zirconium oxides (HZO) of 4.88 ± 1.02 nm by conducting in-situ precipitation of nanoparticles (NPs) inside the gel-type anion exchanger (GAE). GAE was swollen in water and contained lots of < 10 nm swollen pores, restricting excess growth of HZO NPs. In comparison, the NPs formed inside the macroporous anion exchanger (MAE) possessed an average diameter of 30.91 ± 8.98 nm. XPS O1s analysis indicated that the oxygen sites in the gel-type nanocomposite (HZO@GAE) possessed a much higher proportion (48.9%) of reactive terminal oxygen (-OH) than the macroporous nanocomposite (HZO@MAE, 21.2%). Thus, HZO@GAE exhibited significantly enhanced adsorption reactivity toward As(V)/As(III) than HZO@MAE. The exhausted HZO@GAE could be fully regenerated by alkali treatment for repeated use without any loss in decontamination efficiency. In column assays, the HZO@GAE column successively produced ~2400 bed volume (BV) clean water ([As]<10 μg/L) from synthetic groundwater, exceeding twice the amount produced by the HZO@MAE column. This study may shed new light on developing highly efficient nanocomposites for water decontamination. [Display omitted] • A novel gel-type nanocomposite HZO@GAE containing sub-10 nm HZO NPs was developed. • The sub-10 nm nature endows HZO@GAE with more reactive terminal oxygen (-OH). • HZO@GAE possesses enhanced adsorption reactivity toward As(III/V) than HZO@MAE. • HZO@GAE exhibits excellent pH stability, storage stability and reusability. • Effective treatment amount of HZO@GAE column is above twice that of HZO@MAE column. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fe and O codopants substantially accelerated the electron transfer of g-C 3 N 4 for PMS activation. • Efficient BPA removal was achieved at high salinity and within wider pH ranges. • High-valent iron-oxo species and singlet oxygen were identified as two main reactive species. • Nonradical pathways were elucidated based on experimental and theoretical analyses. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for wastewater treatment have recently attracted widespread interests. However, the degradation of organic pollutants via traditional radical-dominated pathway is severely limited by the side reactions between radicals and the co-existing inorganic anions, especially under high salinity conditions. Herein, an efficient Fe/O co-doped g-C 3 N 4 nanosheet catalyst was synthesized to dominantly activate PMS through a dual non-radical pathway with the singlet oxygen and high-valent iron-oxo species (Fe(V)=O). The rapid degradation of model pollutant bisphenol A (BPA) was achieved by dosing PMS (1 mM), catalyst (0.1 g/L) in a simulated high-salt wastewater (≥200 mM) of the developed Fe/O-doped g-C 3 N 4 +PMS system with a reaction rate constant of 1204-fold higher than that in g-C 3 N 4 +PMS system. The O and Fe co-dopants could reconfigurate the electronic structure of pristine g-C 3 N 4 to produce more non-radical active species. The formed Fe(V)=O played a main role in the BPA degradation by promoting electron transfer from BPA molecule to the "metastable PMS/catalyst complex", which was verified by electrochemical tests and density functional theory calculations. The auxiliary transient productions of · OH+SO 4 · – species were also favorable for the pollutant degradation. Excellent reusability in a wide pH range confirmed the practical application prospects of the Fe/O-doped g-C 3 N 4 +PMS system. The successive addition of PMS with a low dosage into the system rich in pollutants was confirmed to favor the PMS utilization. Our work unveils the potential applications of a non-radical dominated process for the decontamination of organic pollutants in saline water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Biofilm susceptibility to cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is age & species dependent. • In mixed biofilms, bacteria may become less susceptible to CAP. • E. coli biofilms form more extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) than L. innocua. • Greater EPS production by E. coli appears to protect L. innocua in mixed biofilms. • Multi-scale analysis provides a systematic understanding of the response of bacteria to CAP. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a minimal food processing technology of increasing interest in the food industry, as it is mild in nature compared to traditional methods (e.g. pasteurisation) and thus can maintain the food's desirable qualities. However, due to this mild nature, the potential exists for post-treatment microbial survival and/or stress adaptation. Furthermore, biofilm inactivation by CAP is underexplored and mostly studied on specific foods or on plastic/polymer surfaces. Co-culture effects, biofilm age, and innate biofilm-associated resistance could all impact CAP efficacy, while studies on real foods are limited to the food product investigated without accounting for structural complexity. The effect of a Remote and Enclosed CAP device (Fourth State Medicine Ltd) was investigated on Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua grown as planktonic cells and as single or mixed bacterial biofilms of variable age, on a biphasic viscoelastic food model of controlled rheological and structural complexity. Post-CAP viability was assessed by plate counts, cell sublethal injury was quantified using flow cytometry, and biofilms were characterised and assessed using total protein content and microscopy techniques. A greater impact of CAP on planktonic cells was observed at higher air flow rates, where the ReCAP device operates in a mode more favourable to reactive oxygen species than reactive nitrogen species. Although planktonic E. coli was more susceptible to CAP than planktonic L. innocua , the opposite was observed in biofilm form. The efficacy of CAP was reduced with increasing biofilm age. Furthermore, E. coli produced much higher protein content in both single and mixed biofilms than L. innocua. Consequently, greater survival of L. innocua in mixed biofilms was attributed to a protective effect from E. coli. These results show that biofilm susceptibility to CAP is age and bacteria dependent, and that in mixed biofilms bacteria may become less susceptible to CAP. These findings are of significance to the food industry for the development of effective food decontamination methods using CAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cationic textile dyes such as astrazon brilliant red (ABR), are frequently used in the textile industry and contaminait the water ecology. Photodegradation of such dyes in wastewater is considered as a promising method, while the existing approaches are usually involved complicated and costly materials as photocatalysts. Facial, effective and low-cost approaches for their decontamination are needed. What's more, the detailed decomposition path of ABR is not revealed. The present study shows that ABR could suffer effective self-photo-degradation under triethylamine treatment without a photocatalyst. Almost 100% of the dye degraded within 1 h under visible light irradiation. UV–vis, FTIR and UPLC-MS analysis conformed the degradation of ABR. Factors involved in the degradation system were investigated clearly. What's more, the accurate and detailed analysis of UV–vis, FTIR and UPLC-MS data combined with computational analysis revealed the decomposition process of ABR. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was investigated from ROS trapping experiments and EPR measurements, which revealed that O 2 − was the critical ROS in the degradation process, while 1O 2 and OH had slightly influence on the degradation progression. • Efficient self-photo-degradation of cationic textile dyes under TEA treatment was investigated for the first time. • The degradation of single dye (0.5 mg/mL) in water reached almost 100% within 1 h. • UV–vis, UPLC-MS, FTIR and computational analysis well revealed the degradation intermediates and pathways. • Reactive oxygen species were well studied from both trapping experiments and EPR analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]