Efficient atrazine degradation through ZnFe₂O₄-catalyzed peroxymonosulphate activation

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Atrazine (ATZ) is a widely used herbicide, posing environmental risks due to water contamination from agricultural runoff.
• Effective removal of ATZ from aquatic environments is crucial for ecosystem protection.
• Transition metal catalysts show promise for activating persulfate to degrade organic pollutants like ATZ.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel heterogeneous catalyst for efficient atrazine removal.
• To investigate the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) by a zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) catalyst.
• To elucidate the radical species involved and the degradation pathway of atrazine.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of ZnFe2O4 catalyst via co-precipitation.
• Activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) using the synthesized ZnFe2O4 catalyst for ATZ degradation.
• Identification of reactive oxygen species using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR).
• Analysis of degradation products using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS).

Main Results:

• ZnFe2O4 effectively catalyzed PMS to generate hydroxyl radicals (HO•), superoxide radicals (O2•−), and singlet oxygen (1O2).
• These radicals significantly contributed to the degradation of atrazine in the aquatic samples.
• The study identified the atrazine degradation pathway based on UPLC-MS analysis.
• The synthesized ZnFe2O4 catalyst demonstrated high efficiency and excellent performance in ATZ removal.

Conclusions:

• The developed ZnFe2O4 catalyst efficiently activates PMS for atrazine degradation.
• The catalyst generates key reactive oxygen species responsible for pollutant removal.
• ZnFe2O4 presents a promising, environmentally compatible solution for agricultural wastewater treatment.