Simultaneous degradation of trace antibiotics in water by adsorption and catalytic oxidation induced by N-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO): synergistic mechanism

Abstract

Aimed at current difficulties in the treatment of trace antibiotics in water, an adsorption-catalytic oxidation system was established by combining persulfate and graphene, which have the dual functions of adsorption and catalysis, for simultaneous enrichment and degradation of trace antibiotics in water. The experimental results showed that over 90% sulfamethoxazole could be degraded by the proposed system. The activation energy of the proposed system was 7.9 kJ mol−1, which was significantly lower than those of typical Co catalysts and some carbon-based catalysts. Synergistic effect analysis revealed that catalytic oxidation was the key degradation kinetic of the proposed system, while adsorption showed a significant enhancement effect. Specifically, a compound with large adsorption capacity tended to be degraded preferably and rapidly. Characterization results indicated that N atoms were doped into the graphene framework, resulting in significant impacts on the activation process of potassium bisulfate by activating the sp2 C system. Quenching and free radical trapping experiments revealed that degradation catalyzed by the proposed system was a non-free radical oxidation reaction dominated by singlet oxygen. In summary, the proposed design was rational, N-rGO surface provided good adsorption and catalysis sites, the synergistic effect of adsorption and catalytic oxidation led to rapid and effective enrichment and in situ degradation of trace antibiotics in water.