Enhanced PMS activation efficiency and SMX degradation performance via Fe(II)/Fe(III) cycling with efficient...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Antibiotics, such as sulfamethoxazole (SMX), are persistent environmental pollutants frequently detected in ecosystems.
• Conventional wastewater treatment methods struggle to effectively remove these recalcitrant organic compounds.
• Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) offer a promising approach for degrading emerging contaminants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cost-effective and efficient catalyst for enhanced peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation in AOPs.
• To investigate the catalytic performance of a novel three-dimensional CCF@MoS2@GA-Fe (CMGF) catalyst for antibiotic removal.
• To elucidate the catalytic mechanism and identify active species involved in the degradation of sulfamethoxazole.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a three-dimensional CCF@MoS2@GA-Fe (CMGF) catalyst using cotton fabric as a support.
• Evaluation of the CMGF catalyst's efficiency in activating PMS for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX).
• Analysis of catalytic activity, stability over multiple cycles, and identification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and quenching experiments.

Main Results:

• The CMGF catalyst demonstrated significantly enhanced PMS activation, achieving approximately 3.8 times higher SMX degradation efficiency compared to non-catalytic processes.
• The catalyst exhibited excellent stability, retaining high catalytic activity after five consecutive cycles.
• Key active species identified included singlet oxygen (1O2), hydroxyl radicals (•OH), and sulfate radicals (SO4-•), indicating a complex radical-based degradation mechanism.

Conclusions:

• The developed CMGF catalyst is a highly effective material for activating PMS in AOPs, offering a sustainable solution for removing persistent organic pollutants like SMX from wastewater.
• The catalyst's robust structure and efficient electron transfer properties contribute to its sustained high performance.
• This study provides valuable insights into the catalytic mechanisms and degradation pathways, paving the way for practical applications in water treatment.