Photocatalytic degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate in water: A critical review

•The photochemical technologies for removing PFOX from water were summarized.•Characteristics of PFOX photo-oxidation and photo-reduction processes were explored.•Factors affecting the PFOX degradation and defluorination procedure were discussed.•The PFOX photochemical degradation mechanisms were elucidated in details.•The application prospects for PFOX photodegradation were suggested.