Electron beam irradiation technology: A new frontier in environmental pollution control

With the worsening global environmental pollution, traditional pollution control methods face numerous challenges in terms of efficiency, cost and sustainability. As an emerging, efficient and eco-friendly technology, electron beam irradiation technology (EBIT) has attracted increasing attention from both academia and industry in recent years. This review systematically introduces the fundamental principles of EBIT and its primary applications in environmental pollution control, with a focus on recent research progress in wastewater treatment, air purification, solid waste degradation and heavy metal removal. EBIT offers significant advantages, including rapid reactions, easy operation and environmental friendliness. By utilizing the ionization and excitation effects induced by high-energy electron beams, this technology effectively degrades organic pollutants, removes heavy metal ions and inactivates harmful pathogenic microorganisms. Furthermore, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of the major challenges hindering the practical application of EBIT, such as high equipment costs, insufficient technological maturity, and limitations in large-scale implementation. Future research directions are also proposed to address these challenges. Through this review, readers can gain a comprehensive understanding of the significant value of EBIT in environmental protection, providing insights for its further development and practical application. Ultimately, this work aims to contribute to ecological improvement and sustainable development.