Novel ZIF-8@CHs catalysts for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride

Abstract

A novel ZIF-8@CHs photocatalyst, which was generated using the metal organic framework ZIF-8 and intact chloroplasts (CHs) from Chlorella sp. in a one-pot synthesis, was used in this study for the first time to degrade tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) through photocatalysis. The results of systematic characterization demonstrated that ZIF-8@CHs was successfully p0repared. Meanwhile, ZIF-8@CHs exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance and good adaptability. Under the condition of simulated sunlight, the high porosity ZIF-8 shell enabled CHs to maintain typical photosynthetic oxygen evolution behavior in vitro, and using CHs as the core produced significant ROS, significantly improving the efficiency of TCH photocatalytic degradation. In addition, the radical trapping test and EPR spectra proved that O2–, 1O2, and •OH were the key active species for TCH degradation. Eventually, the ZIF-8@CHs system can not only expand the new concept of organic pollutant degradation in water bodies, but also offer recommendations for live organ envelope modification..