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Fabrication of highly efficient Bi2WO6/CuS composite for visible-light photocatalytic removal of organic pollutants and Cr(VI) from wastewater

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Abstract

A visible-light-driven Bi2WO6/CuS p-n heterojunction was fabricated using an easy solvothermal method. The Bi2WO6/CuS exhibited high photocatalytic activity in a mixed system containing rhodamine B (RhB), tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), and Cr (VI) under natural conditions. Approximately 98.8% of the RhB (10 mg/L), 87.6% of the TCH (10 mg/L) and 95.1% of the Cr(VI) (15 mg/L) were simultaneously removed from a mixed solution within 105 min. The removal efficiencies of TCH and Cr(VI) increased by 12.9% and 20.4%, respectively, in the mixed solution, compared with the single solutions. This is mainly ascribed to the simultaneous consumption electrons and holes, which increases the amount of excited electrons/holes and enhances the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes. Bi2WO6/CuS can be applied over a wide pH range (2–6) with strong photocatalytic activity for RhB, TCH and Cr(VI). Coexisiting dissolved organic matter in the solution significantly promoted the removal of TCH (from 74.7% to 87.2%) and Cr(VI) (from 75.7% to 99.9%) because it accelerated the separation of electrons and holes by consuming holes as an electron acceptor. Removal mechanisms of RhB, TCH, and Cr(VI) were proposed, Bi2WO6/CuS was formed into a p-n heterojunction to efficiently separate and transfer photoelectrons and holes so as to drive photocatalytic reactions. Specifically, when reducing pollutants (e.g., TCH) and oxidizing pollutants (e.g., Cr(VI)) coexist in wastewater, the p-n heterojunction in Bi2WO6/CuS acts as a “bridge” to shorten the electron transport and thus simultaneously increase the removal efficiencies of both types of pollutants.

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Acknowledgements

The present work was financially supported by the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment, National Water Grant (No. 2017ZX07202002); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51979141); and the Key Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province (No. 2019B110205003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Urban Water Cycle and Water Environment Safety, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China

    Wei Mao, Lixun Zhang & Yuntao Guan

  2. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Wei Mao, Lixun Zhang & Yuntao Guan

  3. College of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130000, China

    Tianye Wang & Yichen Bai

  4. Key Laboratory of Soil Resource Sustainable Utilization for Jilin Province Commodity Grain Bases, Changchun, 130118, China

    Tianye Wang & Yichen Bai

Authors
  1. Wei Mao
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  2. Lixun Zhang
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  3. Tianye Wang
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  4. Yichen Bai
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  5. Yuntao Guan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuntao Guan.

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Highlights

• A novel Bi2WO6/CuS composite was fabricated by a facile solvothermal method.

• This composite efficiently removed organic pollutants and Cr(VI) by photocatalysis.

• The DOM could promoted synchronous removal of organic pollutants and Cr(VI).

• This composite could be applied at a wide pH range in photocatalytic reactions.

• Possible photocatalytic mechanisms of organic pollutants and Cr(VI) were proposed.

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Mao, W., Zhang, L., Wang, T. et al. Fabrication of highly efficient Bi2WO6/CuS composite for visible-light photocatalytic removal of organic pollutants and Cr(VI) from wastewater. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 15, 52 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1344-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1344-8

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