Design of molecularly imprinted nickel ferrite photocatalyst and its application in peroxodisulfate-triggered phenol...

As a typical toxic and refractory organic pollutant in industrial wastewater, phenol poses a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health when discharged directly without control, highlighting the urgency of developing efficient degradation technologies. We developed an advanced oxidation process (AOP) integrating nickel ferrite (NF) with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for efficient phenol degradation in industrial wastewater was developed. The fabrication of NF/MIP and its favorable structural properties were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). NF/MIP exhibited optimal adsorption and photocatalytic performance when at a phenol (template) to polypyrrole (PPy, monomer) mass ratio of 1:7. Under visible light and persulfate activation, the composite achieved 90.0% phenol degradation efficiency and an adsorption capacity of 0.69 mg/g. PPy played dual key roles: first, it enhanced NF/MIP's phenol adsorption and selective recognition (selectivity coefficient: 2.78) via specific interactions; second, it promoted photogenerated carrier separation and improved the generation of active species (O₂·^-, h⁺, and ¹O₂), thereby accelerating phenol degradation. Additionally, PPy contributed to the structural stability of NF/MIP, as evidenced by the maintained high catalytic activity after over multiple cycles, which verifies its critical role in this AOP.The proposed NF/MIP composite demonstrates excellent selectivity and degradation efficiency toward low-concentration phenolic pollutants in complex industrial wastewater and shows promising large-scale application. This offers a more efficient and robust technical solution for the advanced treatment of phenol-containing wastewater.