Efficiently removal of tetracycline via synergistic photocatalysis with Fenton reaction with biochar/FeOOH

The combination of photocatalysis and the Fenton reaction has been recognized as a promising technology for the removal of antibiotics from wastewater. In this study, the growth of magnetic recyclable FeOOH nanoneedles on the surface of biochar (BC) was realized by carbonization and hydrothermal two step method for efficient treatment of antibiotic wastewater. The introduction of BC not only increases the light absorption performance but also accelerates the transfer and separation efficiency of the interface photogenerated charge, further improving the photocatalytic performance. BC/FeOOH displayed enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with BC or FeOOH. Importantly, BC/FeOOH demonstrated promoted photo-Fenton catalytic performance, achieving 92 % of TC degradation rate in presence of H2O2 under the visible light irradiation with 90 min, compared to the photocatalytic efficiency of BC/FeOOH (70 % of TC) without H2O2, attributing to the presence of H2O2 promoted the recycling of Fe3+/Fe2+. Moreover, the center dot O-2(-) and h(+) were found to be the important active species, and the potential degradation mechanism and pathway were investigated. Furthermore, magnetic BC/FeOOH demonstrated remarkable reusability and excellent cycling capability. The present study offers valuable insights into the development of a photocatalysis-Fenton synergy system for the effective decontamination of antibiotic wastewater.

Automated summary

In this study, the growth of magnetic recyclable FeOOH nanoneedles on biochar surface was achieved for efficient treatment of antibiotic wastewater. The presence of H2O2 promoted the recycling of Fe3+/Fe2+, leading to enhanced photocatalytic and photo-Fenton catalytic performance. The potential degradation mechanism and pathway were investigated, and the magnetic FeOOH nanoneedles demonstrated remarkable reusability and cycling capability.