Sonocatalytic degradation of tetracycline by Cu2O/MgFe2O4 nanocomposites: Operational parameters, sonocatalytic mechanism, degradation pathways, and environmental toxicity

Abstract

Cu2O/MgFe2O4 nanocomposites with an S-scheme heterojunction were synthesized successfully and the sonocatalytic degradation effect of tetracycline (TET) by Cu2O/MgFe2O4 nanocomposites was demonstrated. Using the combination of analytical characterization and theoretical estimates, the composition, microscopic shape, comparative surface area and catalysis properties of Cu2O/MgFe2O4 nanocomposite materials were investigated. The experiment results showed that Cu2O/MgFe2O4 had good sonocatalysis performance. Over 91.93±1.07% TET was removed within 90 min at the optimal conditions. The TET sonocatalytic degradation mechanism showed that reactive species such as holes (h+), hydroxyl free radicals (·OH), and superoxide anion radicals (·O2−) produced during the reaction played a vital role in the effective removal of TET. Finally, the possible degradation products of TET were investigated by MS Q-TOF. In conclusion, the sonocatalytic activity, reusability, and stability of the produced Cu2O/MgFe2O4 nanocomposites are excellent, demonstrating that Cu2O/MgFe2O4 nanocomposites will become the focus of research in the field of sonocatalytic removal of pollutants.