Efficient Degradation of Bisphenol A by a Laccase-Like Copper-Lanthanide Aminoclay Nanozyme

Bisphenol A (BPA) poses significant risks to human health and ecosystems due to its severe adverse effects. Consequently, effective BPA removal from water sources is imperative. While naturally occurring laccase (Lac) can degrade BPA, its widespread use is limited by high costs and instability. Nanozymes, with their superior catalytic activity and robust properties, offer a viable alternative. Herein, we synthesized a novel layered nanozyme by incorporating rare-earth metals (La, Gd, Dy, Er) with copper. The La-based material demonstrated the highest laccase-like activity. Comparative analyses revealed that La-based material with optimized composition exhibits significantly enhanced and more stable enzymatic activity toward BPA than natural laccase under varying conditions. Under optimized degradation parameters, the La-based material achieved nearly 90% BPA degradation within 20 min. This study provides an efficient and scalable strategy for BPA removal, demonstrating strong potential for practical environmental remediation.