Photochemistry of hydrolytic iron (III) species and photoinduced degradation of organic compounds. A minireview.

On the basis of the research literature of the last fifty years, we have reviewed the photochemical properties of different hydrolytic Fe(III) species and the photodegradation of organic compounds in aqueous solutions initiated by them (mainly including low-molecular-weight Fe(III)-OH complexes, Fe(III) oxides (Fe2O3) and Fe(III) hydroxides (FeOOH)). Furthermore, the feasibility and prospects of the novel photochemical methods of using Fe(III) salts and oxides in wastewater treatments are being discussed in this paper.