High efficiency heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst biochar modified CuFeO2 for the degradation of tetracycline: Economical synthesis, catalytic performance and mechanism

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 280; p. 119386
• Main Authors: Xin, Shuaishuai, Liu, Guocheng, Ma, Xiaohan, Gong, Jiaxin, Ma, Bingrui, Yan, Qinghua, Chen, Qinghua, Ma, Dong, Zhang, Guangshan, Gao, Mengchun, Xin, Yanjun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-01-2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Biochar; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Charcoal; Chemical synthesis; Copper; CuFeO2; Degradation; Electron paramagnetic resonance; Electron spin; Electron spin resonance; Heterogeneous Fenton; Hydrogen peroxide; Intermediates; Iron; Reagents; Reducing agents; Response surface methodology; Scavenging; Spin resonance; Synergistic effect; Tetracycline; Toxicity; CuFeO2; Heterogeneous Fenton; Response surface methodology; Biochar; Tetracycline
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2020.119386

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•CuFeO2/BC were prepared by hydrothermal method without additional reducing agent.•CuFeO2/BC as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst degraded efficiently TC.•The optimization of TC degradation depending on RSM based on CCD was conducted.•Fe3+/Fe2+ and Cu2+/Cu+ redox cycles contribute to the catalytic activity of CuFeO2/BC.•The degradation intermediates of TC and toxicity analysis were evaluated.
The heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts biochar modified CuFeO2 (CuFeO2/BC) were fabricated by hydrothermal method without additional chemical reducing agent. The systematic characterization demonstrated that higher CuFeO2 particles dispersion and larger BET surface area of CuFeO2/BC catalyst contributed to higher catalytic activity towards the tetracycline (TC) degradation compared to pure-phase CuFeO2. The optimum conditions for TC removal were 598.63 mg L-1 of CuFeO2/BC-1.0, 57.63 mM of H2O2 and pH = 6.27 according to the result of a response surface methodology based on the central composite design. The CuFeO2/BC-1.0 exhibited an excellent reusability and good stability by recycling degradation. The OH was evidenced to the main active radical by scavenging experiments and electron spin resonance. The XPS revealed that the high catalytic efficiency was attributed to the synergistic effect of Fe3+/Fe2+ and Cu2+/Cu+ redox cycles, and the degradation intermediates of TC and toxicity analysis were evaluated.