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Synergistic degradation of tetracycline by BiOBr microspheres combined with peroxydisulfate under visible LED light irradiation

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Abstract

A solvothermal method was employed to prepare BiOBr microspheres, which firstly combined with peroxydisulfate (PDS, S2O82−) to synergistically remove tetracycline (TC) from water under visible LED (Vis-LED) light illumination. About 80.3% of TC (20 mg·L−1) was degraded by BiOBr/PDS/Vis-LED system within 90 min, whereas 28.0%, 28.8% and 65.1% of TC was removed by PDS/Vis-LED, BiOBr/PDS and BiOBr/Vis-LED system, respectively. The degradation of TC in BiOBr/PDS/Vis-LED system obeyed the pseudo-second-order kinetic with a reaction rate constant at 3.6 × 10−3 L·mg−1·min−1. The influence of some key parameters (PDS dose, initial solution pH, reaction temperature and inorganic anions) on TC removal in BiOBr/PDS/Vis-LED system was studied. PDS was activated by photo-induced e to produce SO4·−, and PDS also assisted O2 and e to generate O2·−. The trapping experiments and ESR analysis indicated that SO4·−, ·OH, h+ and O2·− contributed to TC degradation. According to the detected intermediates, the possible degradation pathways of TC were established. Furthermore, the catalytic performance of BiOBr/PDS/Vis-LED system for TC degradation in the actual water matrix was studied.

Graphical abstract

The visible LED (Vis-LED) light-driven photocatalytic performance of BiOBr microspheres for tetracycline (TC) degradation can be enhanced in the presence of peroxydisulfate (PDS) because adding PDS into BiOBr/Vis-LED system inhibits the recombination of photo-induced electrons and holes, with SO4·− generated at the same time. The degradation of TC in BiOBr/PDS/Vis-LED system obeyed the pseudo-second-order kinetic, and SO4·−, ·OH, h+ and O2·− all contributed to TC degradation. The possible degradation pathways of TC were proposed and the catalytic performance of BiOBr/PDS/Vis-LED system for TC removal in actual water matrix was also investigated.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (B2019209373).

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Correspondence to Ming Ge or Qiang Yu.

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He, Q., Ge, M. & Yu, Q. Synergistic degradation of tetracycline by BiOBr microspheres combined with peroxydisulfate under visible LED light irradiation. J Chem Sci 133, 98 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12039-021-01955-w

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