Single iron atom catalysis: An environmental perspective.

• Synthetic methods and structural features of single iron atom catalysts. • Applications of oxygen reduction and carbon dioxide reduction reactions. • Potential applications of environmental catalysis. Single Iron Atom Catalysis (SIAC) shares similar functions with bio-catalysis for pollutant degradation, wastewater treatment and environmental remediation. We speculate that SIAC is fully capable of catalyzing pollutant transformation involving O 2 , NO 3 ^-, SO 4 ^2- and CO 2 reduction reactions. SIAC is the foundation of a new generation of environmental technologies. [Display omitted] Single Iron Atom Catalysis (SIAC) is highly attractive as iron is ubiquitous, environmentally beneficial and can replace expensive noble metals. Extensive literature is available on SIAC-mediated oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). Based on the abundance of electron acceptors in the environment, we speculate that SIAC is fully capable of catalyzing pollutant transformation entailing nitrate and sulfate reduction reactions (NO 3 RR and SO 4 RR) and can serve as the foundation of a new generation of environmental technologies for degradation of toxic chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]