Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• FeVO4 nanorods decorated on natural sepiolite via hydrothermal method exhibit enhanced PMS activation for tetracycline degradation, achieving 91.19% removal within 40 min. • The composite leverages synergistic redox cycles (Fe3+/Fe2+ and V5+/V4+) and abundant surface hydroxyl groups, leading to a reaction rate constant of 0.1649 min−1. • Singlet oxygen (1O2) is identified as the dominant reactive species, with both radical and non-radical pathways contributing to degradation. • The catalyst demonstrates good stability and reusability, offering a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution for antibiotic wastewater remediation.
Abstract
Developing a low-cost stable and high-performance peroxymonosulfate (PMS) catalyst to degrade refractory organic pollutants is still an urgent problem. Herein, this study reported FeVO4 nanorods decorated sepiolite (FeVO4/sepiolite) through simple hydrothermal method as an adsorptive-catalyst for PMS activation to degrade tetracycline (TC). Benefiting from the introduction of sepiolite support, FeVO4 nanorods could be uniformly immobilized onto fibrous sepiolite surface. As a result, FeVO4/sepiolite composite was endowed with excellent adsorption properties, rich surface hydroxyl groups, more reaction active sites, and the stable redox cycle of Fe3+/Fe2+ and V5+/V4+. Therefore, higher TC degradation efficiency (91.19% within 40 min) and larger reaction rate constant (0.1649 min−1) were obtained in FeVO4/sepiolite/PMS system than in FeVO4/PMS system. Besides, the composite presented good stability and reusability, and the effects of application parameters on TC degradation were investigated in detail. Through quenching experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) test, it was found that both radical and non-radical species participates in TC degradation, and 1O2 were the main active species. The PMS activation mechanism was proposed, and the possible degradation pathway was also analyzed according to the high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) results. Overall, this work provides meaningful insights for designing natural mineral based PMS activators to effectively remediate antibiotic wastewater.
1. Introduction
In recent years, the harm caused by the misuse of antibiotics has attracted worldwide attention [1]. Due to the inability of organisms to fully metabolize most of the antibiotics, they are discharged directly into the natural environment, which would pose a harmful effect on environment and human health [2]. Tetracycline (TC) is a common antibiotic which is widely used to treat bacterial infections in animals and humans [3]. However, due to its structural stability and difficulty in being degraded in nature, TC has been detected in many environmental matrices in varying concentrations, which in turn causes irreversible effects on humans, wildlife, and the natural environment. Therefore, it is urgent to develop effective technologies to deal with the pollution issues caused by TC.
To date, the technologies such as membrane filtration, biodegradation, adsorption and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been employed to mitigate TC pollution. Among them, peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based AOPs have drawn a lot of interest due to their high oxidizing capability, environmental friendliness, low cost, and high stability [4]. PMS could be activated by using transition metals, UV, heat, and ultrasound for producing more sulfate radical (SO4•−) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) with stronger oxidation ability [5]. It has been proved that the activation of PMS by transition metal ions and oxides to degrade antibiotics in the aqueous environment is considered to have better prospects because it does not require any external energy input. It is acceptable that iron (Fe)-based oxides belong to the promising PMS catalysts due to their low cost and environmental friendliness. However, Fe-based catalysts usually present the low conversion efficiency of Fe3+/Fe2+ and poor stability [6]. According to previous reports, bimetallic oxides, with advantages such as higher density of surface sites, synergistic redox of different metals and high stability, show more prominent prospects for th
Loading authentic research manuscript (Pages 1–5)...
WANG Yu-bo, HU Xiao-long, LI Rui, ZHANG Long, SONG Jun-ying, WANG Li, GUO Qing-bin, GAO Deng-zheng, HUANG Peng, LU Qing, ZHANG Wen-bing (2025). FeVO4 nanorods decorated natural sepiolite as highly efficient peroxymonosulfate catalyst for tetracycline degradation. Journal of Central South University. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-025-6093-1
Research & Educational Purpose Only:The translations, structured abstracts, analytical annotations, and data reports provided by SinoTechIntel are intended exclusively for academic research, internal corporate R&D, and educational benchmarking. They do not constitute formal engineering, chemical safety, legal, or professional advice.
Copyright & Intellectual Property Notice: Original copyright of the underlying source articles and experimental data remains with the respective authors, institutions, and original publishing journals. SinoTechIntel claims intellectual property only over its proprietary translations, analytical syntheses, and AEO structured enhancements in accordance with international fair use and academic citation principles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main objective of this study?
The study aims to develop a low-cost, stable, and high-performance peroxymonosulfate (PMS) catalyst using FeVO4 nanorods decorated on natural sepiolite for the efficient degradation of tetracycline (TC) in wastewater.
How was the FeVO4/sepiolite composite synthesized?
The composite was synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method, where FeVO4 nanorods were uniformly immobilized onto the fibrous sepiolite surface.
What degradation efficiency and rate constant were achieved?
The FeVO4/sepiolite/PMS system achieved 91.19% tetracycline degradation within 40 minutes, with a reaction rate constant of 0.1649 min−1.
What are the main reactive species involved in the degradation?
Both radical and non-radical species participate, with singlet oxygen (1O2) identified as the dominant active species, as confirmed by quenching experiments and EPR tests.
What are the practical implications of this work?
This work provides insights into designing natural mineral-based PMS activators for effective remediation of antibiotic wastewater, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution.
Related Technical Papers & Translations
Direct Repair of the Crystal Structure and Coating Surface of Spent LiFePO4 Materials Enables Superfast Li-Ion Migration
The rapid accumulation of spent LiFePO4 (LFP) cathodes from retired lithium-ion batteries necessitates the development of effective and environmental-friendly recycling strategies. In this context, direct regeneration has emerged as a promising approach for reclaiming LFP cathode materials, offering a streamlined pathway to restore their electrochemical functionality. We report an integrated regeneration protocol that simultaneously repairs the degraded crystal structure and reconstructs the damaged carbon coating in spent LFP. The regenerated cathode material had superfast lithium-ion diffusion kinetics and a stable cathode–electrolyte interface, giving a remarkable rate capability with specific capacities of 122 mAh g−1 at 5C and 106 mAh g−1 at 10C (1C = 170 mA g−1). It also maintained capacities of 110.7 mAh g−1 (5C) and 84.1 mAh g−1 (10C) after 400 cycles. It could be used in harsh environments and could be stably cycled at subzero temperatures (−10 and −20 °C) and in solid-state electrolyte batteries. Life cycle assessment combined with economic evaluation using the EverBatt model reveals that this direct regeneration approach has high economic and environmental benefits.
Oxide Semiconductor for Advanced Memory Architectures: Atomic Layer Deposition, Key Requirement and Challenges
Oxide semiconductors (OSs), introduced by the Hosono group in the early 2000s, have evolved from display backplane materials to promising candidates for advanced memory and logic devices. The exceptionally low leakage current of OSs and compatibility with three-dimensional (3D) architectures have recently sparked renewed interest in their use in semiconductor applications. This review begins by exploring the unique material properties of OSs, which fundamentally originate from their distinct electronic band structure. Subsequently, we focus on atomic layer deposition (ALD), a core technique for growing excellent OS films, covering both basic and advanced processes compatible with 3D scaling. The basic surface reaction mechanisms—adsorption and reaction—and their roles in film growth are introduced. Furthermore, material design strategies, such as cation selection, crystallinity control, anion doping, and heterostructure engineering, are discussed. We also highlight challenges in memory applications, including contact resistance, hydrogen instability, and lack of p-type materials, and discuss the feasibility of ALD-grown OSs as potential solutions. Lastly, we provide an outlook on the role of ALD-grown OSs in memory technologies. This review bridges material fundamentals and device-level requirements, offering a comprehensive perspective on the potential of ALD-driven OSs for next-generation semiconductor memory devices.
Laser powder bed fusion of biodegradable Zn-4Cu alloy: Processing, microstructure and properties
Zn's natural degradability and biocompatibility make it a promising candidate for implants, however, its mechanical properties remain insufficient for bone applications. In this study, the performance of Zn was enhanced by developing Zn-Cu alloys via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Optimal LPBF parameters for forming stable tracks were achieved by adjusting laser power and scanning speed. Under optimized conditions of 100 W and 100 mm/s, high-density (99.58%) Zn-Cu alloys with improved hardness (68.2HV) and yield strength (160 MPa) were achieved. These improvements are attributed to solid solution strengthening, segregation strengthening, and grain refinement. The Zn-Cu alloys also demonstrated favorable degradation behavior, with a rate of 0.16 mm/year. This degradation is primarily driven by micro-galvanic corrosion between the CuZn5 phase and Zn matrix, along with refined grains and increased grain boundary density. This work demonstrates a viable strategy for fabricating Zn-based implants with enhanced structural integrity and mechanical performance via LPBF.