Dual-Path Hydroxylation on Ce Single-Atom Cluster Decorated MgO toward Efficient Remediation of As^III/Cd²⁺...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Co-contamination of water and soil by arsenic (As^III) and cadmium (Cd²⁺) presents complex remediation challenges due to differing chemical behaviors.
• Conventional remediation methods struggle with simultaneous removal of these co-contaminating heavy metals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a novel material for the simultaneous decontamination of As^III and Cd²⁺.
• To investigate the atomic-scale interface engineering of cerium single-atom clusters anchored on MgO (Ce_SACs-MgO) for enhanced heavy metal adsorption.

Main Methods:

• Gel-calcination strategy to anchor cerium single-atom clusters onto MgO edges, forming Ce_SACs-MgO.
• Characterization of the material's structure and its interaction with As^III and Cd²⁺.
• Adsorption experiments to determine decontamination efficiency and capacity.

Main Results:

• Ce_SACs-MgO achieved high adsorption capacities: 1868 mg g^-1 for As^III and 2140 mg g^-1 for Cd²⁺.
• The Ce-O-Mg heterointerface activated lattice oxygen and promoted surface hydroxylation, creating abundant active sites.
• Cd²⁺ substitution induced lattice strain, accelerating electron transfer and boosting As^III uptake by 83.8-fold compared to pristine MgO.

Conclusions:

• Ce_SACs-MgO demonstrates exceptional performance in simultaneous As^III and Cd²⁺ removal through atomic-scale interface engineering.
• This study establishes a new design paradigm for composite heavy metal decontamination in water and soil remediation.
• The findings highlight the potential of single-atom catalysts for addressing complex environmental pollution challenges.