Embedding electronic perpetual motion into single-atom catalysts for persistent Fenton-like reactions.

In our quest to leverage the capabilities of the emerging single-atom catalysts (SACs) for wastewater purification, we confronted fundamental challenges related to electron scarcity and instability. Through meticulous theoretical calculations, we identified optimal placements for nitrogen vacancies (Nv) and iron (Fe) single-atom sites, uncovering a dual-site approach that significantly amplified visible-light absorption and charge transfer dynamics. Informed by these computational insights, we cleverly integrated Nv into the catalyst design to boost electron density around iron atoms, yielding a potent and flexible photoactivator for benign peracetic acid. This exceptional catalyst exhibited remarkable stability and effectively degraded various organic contaminants over 20 cycles with self-cleaning properties. Specifically, the Nv sites captured electrons, enabling their swift transfer to adjacent Fe sites under visible light irradiation. This mechanism accelerated the reduction of the formed "peracetic acid-catalyst" intermediate. Theoretical calculations were used to elucidate the synergistic interplay of dual mechanisms, illuminating increased adsorption and activation of reactive molecules. Furthermore, electron reduction pathways on the conduction band were elaborately explored, unveiling the production of reactive species that enhanced photocatalytic processes. A six-flux model and associated parameters were also applied to precisely optimize the photocatalytic process, providing invaluable insights for future photocatalyst design. Overall, this study offers a molecule-level insight into the rational design of robust SACs in a photo-Fenton-like system, with promising implications for wastewater treatment and other high-value applications.

The multiple roles of phenols in the degradation of aniline contaminants by sulfate radicals: A combined study of DFT calculations and experiments.

Recent research revealed inhibition or enhancement of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to the degradation of trace organic contaminants (TrOC) in natural and engineered water systems. Phenols containing acetyl, carboxyl, formyl, hydroxy, and methoxy groups were selected as the model DOM to quantitatively study their roles in the degradation of simple anilines, sulfonamide antibiotics, phenylurea pesticides by sulfate radicals (SO4•-). Experimental results found that p-methoxyphenol inhibited aniline and sulfamethoxazole degradation by thermally activated peroxydisulfate (TAP), while p-acetylphenol slightly promoted aniline degradation. Quantum chemical calculations were applied to study the microscopic mechanism and kinetics of phenols affecting the degradation of aniline pollutants (AN) in three ways: competitively reacting with SO4•-, repairing aniline cationic radicals (AN•+) and phenylaminyl radicals (AN(-H)•), and generating phenoxy radicals to degrade anilines. Generally, the degradation of sulfonamides and phenylureas prefer to be inhibited by hydroxy- and methoxy-phenols with low oxidation potential (Eox), due to their diffusion-limiting reaction with SO4•- and rapid back-reduction AN•+ with the calculated rate constants of (0.02 - 6.38) × 109 M-1 s-1. Phenols repairing AN(-H)• through H abstraction reaction is speculated to possibly dominate the joint degradation of phenols and anilines by TAP, which has a poor correlation with Eox. This study provides mechanistic insight into the chemical behavior of complex and heterogeneous DOM in complex aqueous environments.

Recycling exhausted magnetic biochar with adsorbed Cu2+ as a cost-effective permonosulfate activator for norfloxacin degradation: Cu contribution and mechanism.

Herein, we attempted to apply an exhausted magnetic biochar with adsorbed Cu2+ (Cu-Fe@BRC) directly as a PMS activator and explored the feasibility of this attempt. Density functional theory (DFT) and electrochemical analysis illuminated the adsorbed Cu2+ in Cu-Fe@BRC improved PMS activation and NOR degradation efficiency by elevating the adsorption capacity of PMS and performance of electron transfer. About 91.47% of norfloxacin (NOR) was rapidly degraded in Cu-Fe@BRC/PMS system with low Fe and Cu leaching. An in-depth mechanistic study was conducted with radical scavenging, radical capturing and solvent exchange, which demonstrated that the adsorbed Cu2+ could facilitate the formation of both different radicals and non-radical. Importantly, Cu-Fe@BRC can maintain a long-term stable operation and excellent catalytic performance in surface water treatment. The potential toxicity of by-product generated in the NOR degradation process was also predicated, and results suggested that most identified by-products were less toxic than NOR itself. Notably, the preparation cost of exhausted adsorbent-based catalysts could be negligible, so the expenditure of the corresponding oxidation process is reduced accordingly. Based on above, this work provides not only a low-cost exhausted biochar-based catalyst for water purification but also the insight into the PMS activation by adsorbed transition metal ions.

Adsorption-desorption behavior of magnetic amine/Fe3O4 functionalized biopolymer resin towards anionic dyes from wastewater.

In this work, a new kind of magnetic amine/Fe3O4 functionalized biopolymer resin (amine/Fe3O4-resin) was prepared and applied to remove various anionic dyes from water. Methyl Orange (MO), Reactive Brilliant Red K-2BP (RBR) and Acid Red 18 (AR) were selected as the typical anionic dye for this research. Meanwhile, amine/Fe3O4-resin was characterized by VSM, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM and XPS. Three anionic dyes removed by amine/Fe3O4-resin were investigated using batch adsorption technique, and the parameters including adsorbent dosage, pH, contact time and temperature were considered. Due to a large number of amine groups and high surface areas, amine/Fe3O4-resin exhibited a remarkably high adsorption capacity for all three dyes, reaching 101.0mg/g, 222.2mg/g and 99.4mg/g for RBR, MO and AR at 25°C, respectively. The pseudo second order model and Langmuir model agreed well with the experimental data, and regeneration experiments indicated its merit of separability and reusability.