Zero valent metal (ZVMs) has been the most interesting point for the treatment of environmental pollutants and zero valent iron (ZVI) is the most representative. In recent years, zero valent aluminum (ZVAl), another kind of ZVMs, is starting to be paid more attention due to its lower redox potential than ZVI (E⁰(Al³⁺/Al⁰)=-1.662 V, E⁰(Fe²⁺/Fe⁰)=-0.44 V) and its amphoterism characteristic (the reaction pH can be extended to alkaline range). At present, the research mainly focuses on the oxidation system of ZVAl/O₂/H⁺ and the reduction system of ZVAl/anaerobic. And the former has garnered particular attention by in-situ producing hydrogen peroxide to form Fenton-like oxidation reaction. The studies of ZVAl-based oxidation or reduction technology have found that organic contaminants such as phenolics, azo dyes, organic halide, and inorganic contaminants such as Cr(Ⅵ) and As(Ⅲ), can be effectively removed. And some auxiliary means such as ultrasonic, microwave, plus polyoxometalate (POM), Fe²⁺ have effective influences on this technology. In this review, the reaction mechanism and the latest research progress of oxidation and reduction systems based on of ZVAl are summarized and prospected. Not like ZVI, ZVAl as the most abundant metallic element in the earth's crust, don't have the problem of producing the precipitate under high pH condition. And it is believed that ZVAl based oxidation or reduction technology will be more widely used in water treatment with the gradual solution of the restricted factor of the surface oxide film.

Contents
1 Introduction
2 Oxidative removal of pollutants by ZVAl
2.1 ZVAl/O₂/H⁺ system
2.2 Assisted ZVAl/O₂/H⁺ system
2.3 Bimetallic system
3 Reductive removal of pollutants by ZVAl
3.1 ZVAl direct reduction pollutants
3.2 Bimetallic system
4 Conclusion and outlook