Integrative Platform of Microbubble Ozonation: A Systematic Review of the Upstream-Midstream-Downstream Efficiency Chain
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Abstract
Microbubble ozonation has long been treated as a means of raising the mass transfer coefficient (kLa) alone. Yet operational efficiency depends on mechanistic synchronization between gas stability, reactor design, and water-matrix complexity. This review proposes a new paradigm, the “Integrated Platform of Microbubble Ozonation,” linking the upstream, midstream, and downstream domains in a single efficiency chain to overcome the thermodynamic bottleneck of conventional ozonation. Following the PRISMA protocol, we screened 129 Scopus records (2000–2026) and retained 97 primary studies under strict inclusion criteria. Bibliometric mapping in VOSviewer validated the three-pillar clustering before we synthesized technical and economic data in depth. The upstream pillar showed that DBD packed-bed technology delivers a good-standard ozone yield of 150 g/kWh and, when coupled with a dispersion system, raises ozone dissolution to 13.8-fold. The midstream pillar identified an optimal Sauter diameter of 37–40.6 µm as the driver of a peak kLa of 1.0258 min-1 in hybrid reactors. The downstream pillar confirmed adaptability to real water matrices, achieving 98.4% ibuprofen removal and operational savings of CNY 2,360.48 per ton of TOC in extreme alkaline industrial wastewater. Synthesis of “The Nexus” revealed that microbubble collapse yields a hydroxyl radical (OH) exposure of 0.97 x 10-9 Ms, shifting oxidation from a selective molecular to a non-selective radical pathway and enabling complete mineralization of toxic pollutants into ecosystem-safe residues, evidenced by a 93.3% mustard seed germination rate. Integration is therefore key to sustainable advanced oxidation, with standardized characterization metrics and AI-based intelligent control as future directions.
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