Real Water Environment Research Articles

Defluoridation Proficiency of Ocimum tenuiflorum Based Bioadsorbent against Fluoride Toxicity in Drinking Water

From the past century, the global attention shifted towards fluoride toxicity through drinking water due to its severity in important health concerns. Many researchers made an attempt to resolve the issue to potable drinking water through many chemical and mechanical methods. Among them adsorption is one of the acceptable cheap and cost-effective method to remove the fluoride from its contaminated waters. This article presents a remarkable defluoridation techniques and approach by preparing efficient bioadsorbent from Holy Basil Ocimum tenuiflorum L. leaves. Thermo-charring method was followed to prepare bioadsorbent from holy basil and avoided acid charring method. With this bioadsorbent, batch equilibrium adsorption method was followed by varying the adsorbent and adsorbate (fluoride) concentrations, its contact time, different adsorbent dose and its different sizes. As a sum up, the best contact time was identified as 90 minutes for all fluoride concentrations. As known, the smaller size adsorbent has shown good absorptivity and the quantity of 1.5 g/L found to be optimal amount for the effective defluoridation. The interference of co-existing anions like nitrates, chlorides, sulphates and carbonates were also studied to identify the applicability of prepared bioadsorbent at real water environment. The co-ions nitrates and chlorides did not affect the adsorptive efficiency, but sulphates and carbonates suffered lot due to its bulky structured binding on adsorbent and lacked the fluoride adsorption onto it. The spectral and morphological characterizations such as FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDAX spectral studies carried out to confirm the surface variations of bioadsorbent and their corresponding reports reveal the notable observations. The best optimal defluoridation capacity for Ocimum tenuiflorum based bioadsorbent was found to be 1766 mg/kg.

Sulfur Vacancies‐Triggered High SERS Activity of Molybdenum Disulfide for Ultrasensitive Detection of Trace Diclofenac

AbstractDue to the efficient photoinduced charge transfer properties of nonmetals, nonmetallic surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates have been advanced rapidly these years. And among of these, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is perceived as one of the most representative nonmetallic SERS substrates due to its abundant active sites. However, its progress in SERS field is severely hindered because of the lower SERS activity. Herein, one type of vacancies‐triggered highly sensitive SERS substrate based on nanostructured MoS2 with sulfur vacancies (VS) is proposed. The VS‐MoS2 substrates are intended to promote the SERS performance through the VS density regulation. Intrinsically, moderate VS can change the bandgap structure of MoS2, thus promoting the separation of internal carriers and enhancing the interaction with target species. Externally, the presence of VS can bring abundant adsorption sites on MoS2 surface, which greatly improves its ability to enrich target molecules. Both internal and external properties make VS‐MoS2 a high SERS activity substrate. Moreover, with the antibiotic contaminant diclofenac as a model probe molecule, the VS‐MoS2 substrate can accurately perceive its nanomolar concentration level with an enhancement factor up to 5.85 × 103. This work demonstrates exciting potential for analysis in real water environments based on nonmetallic SERS applications.

Dye-encapsulated Zr-based MOFs composites as a sensitive platform for ratiometric luminescent sensing of antibiotics in water

Overuse of antibiotics posed a global threat to human health and the ecological environment. Efficient detection and control of antibiotic pollution demand novel sensory materials. Here, a dual-luminescent material FS@UIO66 was successfully synthesized by encapsulating fluorescent molecules (fluorescein sodium, FS) in UIO66 based on the in-situ encapsulation method. We found that the dual emission peaks of FS@UIO66 at 369 and 515 nm can be sensitively and synchronously quenched by tetracycline (TET). Interestingly, these two peak intensities were switched anisotropically by levofloxacin (LEV), in which the signal at 515 nm was enhanced. Photophysical analysis revealed that there may exist a competition and replenishment mechanism in the sensing processes. The ratiometric fluorescent feature was employed for rapid detection of TET and LEV, with detection limits of 0.2444 μM and 0.2808 μM for TET and LEV, respectively. The superior sensitivity, high selectivity, and excellent recyclability of FS@UIO66 in sensing TET and LEV were demonstrated in this work. In addition, TET and LEV were also successfully detected by FS@UIO66 in water from real water environment. The results indicate that FS@UIO66 composites are favorable for TET and LEV detection, presenting a great sensing platform for antibiotic detection.

High-performance pseudocapacitive removal of cadmium via synergistic valence conversion in perovskite-type FeMnO3

Cadmium pollution is a serious threat for the global drink water and natural environment. Herein, a poly-pyrrole coated dual-metal perovskite-type oxide FeMnO3 (PFMO@PPy) was developed firstly as pseudocapacitive cathode for the reversible capture and release of cadmium ions by asymmetry pseudocapacitive deionization (APCDI) technology, extending the library of CDI electrodes. Our work highlighted several points: (i) PFMO@PPy achieved a maximum Cd-removal capacity of 144.6 mg g−1, and maintained the retention rate of 93.4% after 15-cycle CDI process for up to 150 h, far beyond other previous work. (ii) PFMO@PPy showed the superior removal ratio (~90%) under different real water environments such as tap water, lake water and the groundwater. (iii) The superior Cd(II) electrosorption and desorption behavior is ascribed to the reversible synergistic valence conversion (Fe3+/Fe0 and Mn3+/Mn2+), which is confirmed by ex-situ XPS measurement and electrochemical tests. (iv) DFT calculations confirmed the synergistic effect from Mn and Fe elements in perovskite-type bimetallic oxide FeMnO3. This study paves a new way for promising future applications of perovskite-type oxides containing dual Faradic redox-activity for wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.

Image Transmission through Water Medium

Abstract: Water data communication is a potential technology to realize underwater communication. The experiment of underwater data communication in the laboratory is different with that in the real water environment because the physical scale is limited. Although since recent several decades, artificial scattering agents are used to recreate underwater data communication through water channels under different communication medium conditions, but the similarity between experimental water and natural water is not reliable, such as the similarity in frequency domain characteristics. The underwater transmitter directs a signal to the water's surface, causing tiny vibrations that correspond to the transmission. Above the surface, a highly sensitive receiver reads these minute disturbances and decodes the signal.

Individual and combined degradation of N-heterocyclic compounds under sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes

Although the inhibitory effect of purines and phenols on the degradation of N-heterocyclic compounds under UV/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) has been reported, the understanding of contaminants' underlying mechanisms and kinetics is still very limited. In this study, five omnipresent nitrogenous bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil) in the aquatic environment were used to study the inhibitory effect of N-heterocyclic compounds under UV/PMS by quantum chemical calculations. We found that HO• and SO4•− initiate base degradation with second-order rate constants of (0.11 – 15.6) × 109 M−1 s−1 and (7.25 – 13.5) × 109 M−1 s−1, respectively, and the primary products contain hydroxyl derivatives (HO-P), intermediate radicals (P(-H)•) and cationic radicals (P•+, only for purines). Because of the lower oxidation potentials of HO-P than their parent compounds (P), we first proposed a self-inhibition pathway in which HO-P can revert P(-H)• and P•+ back to P through H atom abstraction and single electron transfer reactions, respectively. A more significant self-inhibition was found in the degradation of uracil than that of adenine under UV/PMS because the former has a higher yield of hydroxylated derivatives. The main hydroxylated product (6-HO-U) of uracil repairs the uracil radical (U(-4H)•) at the reaction rate constants of 1.01 × 109 M−1 s−1. The combined degradation of bases showed that the reduction rate constants of purine cationic radicals have a linear relationship with the oxidation potentials of reductants. In the adenine-uracil mixture system, adenine inhibits uracil degradation by repairing U(-4H)• (2.33 × 105 M−1 s−1). This work revealed the mechanisms and kinetics of self-inhibition and joint-degradation of N-heterocyclic compounds, which is of great significance for understanding the collective removal of contaminants in the real water environment.

Waste clay ceramsite supported Ti catalyst based on ozone/UV combination in treatment of black-odor waters

Black-odor water not only completely loses the function, but also seriously affects the environment landscape and human health. Aiming at the problems of high cost and low activity of catalysts for black-odor waters treatment by catalytic ozonation technology, this paper fabricated a stable Ti-based supported catalyst using the modified waste clay ceramsite (Ti/MC1). Combined with the ozone/UV technology, this catalyst realized effective degradation of pollutants in actual black-odor waters. Based on the catalytic kinetics analysis, it showed that the prepared catalyst performance generally higher activity than those with other carriers or active components. As a kind of wastes reuse, waste ceramsite is environment-friendly with high economic efficiency, which gives it higher practical value and popularization prospect. Under the optimal conditions, the removal rates of NH3-N and COD in water have reached 72.08% and 80.07% respectively. In addition, by monitoring the physiological indexes of representative submerged macrophytes during the operation process, it could be concluded that the constructed technology will not hinder the normal growth of aquatic organisms in real water environment, which confirms the feasibility of its application. The results provided a new idea for the application of nature-based processes in aqueous environment management and remediation, while also provided a theoretical basis for efficient treatment of black-odor waters.

First fluorescence sensor for hydrazine ion: An effective “turn-on” detection based on thiophene-cyanodistyrene Schiff-base

Hydrazine and its cation were important but hazardous reagents. Although the fluorescence sensor for hydrazine had been widely reported, the fluorescence sensor for hydrazine ion was not presented so far. In this work, the first fluorescence sensor for hydrazine ion was prepared based on the effective “turn-on” fluorescence of thiophene-cyanodistyrene Schiff-base (TCS). TCS was synthesized in simple condensation with high yield. It exhibited weak fluorescence at 450–550 nm in aqueous media due to the strong PET effect suppressing AIE effect. It displayed excellent selective sensing ability for Hg2+ and N2H62+ with strong “turn-on” fluorescence based on the disruption of PET effect. The fluorescence response to Hg2+ was masked by Cl−, achieving the high selective detection for N2H62+ only. The detection limit for N2H62+ was 1.05 × 10−7 M. The 2:1 stoichiometric ratio and the sensing mechanism were confirmed by the Job’s plot, MS spectrum, 1H NMR spectrum, FT-IR spectrum and theory calculation. The detecting experiments for N2H62+ in tap water and water of Minjiang River implied the good application potential for sensing N2H62+ in real water environments.

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction and Analysis of Target Laser Point Cloud Data Under Simulated Real Water Environment

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction and Analysis of Target Laser Point Cloud Data Under Simulated Real Water Environment

Photocatalytic Bactericidal Performance of LaFeO3 under Solar Light in the Presence of Natural Organic Matter: Spectroscopic and Mechanistic Evaluation

Solar photocatalytic inactivation (SPCI) of E. coli as the indicator microorganism using LaFeO3 (LF) has already been investigated under various experimental conditions, excluding any role of natural organic matter (NOM). However, comprehensive information about the behavior of E. coli and its inactivation mechanism in the presence of NOM, as well as the behavior of NOM components via solar photocatalysis using LF as a photocatalyst, has prime importance in understanding real natural water environments. Therefore, in this study, further assessment was devoted to explore the influence of various NOM representatives on the SPCI of E. coli by using LF as a novel non-TiO2 photocatalyst. The influence of NOM as well as its sub-components, such as humic acids (HA) and fulvic acids (FA), was also investigated to understand different NOM-related constituents of real natural water conditions. In addition to spectroscopic and mechanistic investigations of cell-derived organics, excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectra with parallel factor multiway analysis (PARAFAC) modeling revealed further information about the occurrence and/or disappearance of NOM-related and bacteria-related fluorophores upon LF SPCI. Both the kinetics as well as the mechanism of the LF SPCI of E. coli in the presence of NOM compounds displayed substrate-specific variations under all conditions.

An efficient double template strategy to construct large-area and highly ordered silver “urchin-like” arrays for sensitive SERS analysis

Plasmonic metal nanostructures possessing plentiful gaps or tips have attracted great attention in surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) due to their superior performance. Herein, we present an efficient fabrication strategy to construct a large-area and highly ordered 3D silver “urchin-like” array (SULA) based on the ultra-thin alumina membrane (UTAM) mask and the self-assembled polystyrene spheres template. Numerical simulations reveal that the proposed SULA possesses enormous hotspots at the tips of Ag nanocones and in the crevice gaps between the adjacent Ag nanocaps responsible for high sensitivity with an enhancement factor of 1.8 × 106 and excellent reproducibility with a relative standard deviation of 8.3% in SERS analysis. Furthermore, the SULA substrate exhibits great SERS performance for detecting the contaminant crystal violet and thiram in real water environments and excellent linear intensity-concentration dependence relationships. The results indicate the proposed SULAs are promising to be developed as high-performance SERS platforms in qualitative and quantitative trace contaminants in complex water environments.

Electrical impedance spectroscopy as a potential tool to investigate the structure and size of aggregates during water and wastewater treatment

Microscopic structure and size are important metrics for estimating aggregates environmental behaviors during water and wastewater treatment. However, in-situ determination of these characteristics is still a challenge. Here, we drew inspiration from a block disassembly process to propose an electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) method and constructed a generalized framework to associate macroscale electrical properties with microscopic structure and size-related characteristics of aggregates of different hierarchies. Extracted via EIS, the proposed models were verified to be capable of describing the self-similarity of aggregates and capturing the fractal and size information. Further, the proposed models exhibited a wide range of applications, which agrees well with the data gathered from various activated sludges, other colloids, and microgels in water and wastewater treatment. Finally, the EIS method was achieved online monitoring of fractal dimension and floc size during a sludge pre-oxidation conditioning process, which was elected as an example to illustrate the potential online applications of this EIS method in real water and wastewater environment. The obtained on-line data were used to indicate the potential suitable oxidation time during sludge pre-oxidation conditioning. These observations may inspire new methods of quantifying the aggregate structure and promote intelligent and dynamic decision-making during water and wastewater treatment.

Sustainable photocatalytic disinfection of four representative pathogenic bacteria isolated from real water environment by immobilized TiO2-based composite and its mechanism

In this study, we reported an effective visible light-assisted photocatalytic disinfection toward various representative pathogenic bacteria over a highly reusable glue-immobilized P/Ag/Ag2O/Ag3PO4/TiO2 (PAgT) system. The results showed that the PAgT photocatalyst could rapidly kill all pathogenic bacteria isolated from real water environment, including Gram-positive (+ve) (Enterococcus sp. and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (−ve) (Escherichia coli and Salmonella), both in single and mixed bacteria system. Compared to Gram −ve bacterium, the inactivation of Gram +ve bacterium was more resistant to the photocatalytic treatment, which was mainly ascribed to their thicker peptidoglycan layers in cell walls. In addition, using silicone glue as a binder provided a strong adhesion between the solid matrix and catalyst particles thus making the immobilized PAgT highly reusable. More strikingly, it was found that the enhanced antibacterial performance of immobilized PAgT system was due to a synergistic effect of disinfection mechanism combining the improved photocatalysis on the introduction of heterojunction structure, and the mechanical stress driven from the composite sharp edge morphology. Hence, the present results of the photocatalytic disinfection toward a broad range of pathogenic bacteria, with excellent activity, stability and reusability, reveals the possibility of the developed silicone glue-immobilized PAgT in real water sterilization.

Efficient peroxydisulfate activation with nZVI/CuO@BC nanocomposite derived from wastes for degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A in alkaline environment

Peroxydisulfate (PDS) is a promising oxidant for sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes (SAOPs), however its efficient activation is still a challenge. In this study, biochar-supported nano-zerovalent iron (nZVI) and copper oxide (CuO) nanocomposite (nZVI/CuO@BC), derived from low-cost wastes including scrap iron filings, copper leaching solution and corn stalks, was successfully fabricated for PDS activation to enhance tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) degradation in alkaline environment. Under the conditions of 100 mg/L nZVI/CuO@BC, 0.2 mM PDS, pH 8.0 and 25 °C, 86.32% of PDS was activated and 98.46% of TBBPA was degraded within 45 min in nZVI/CuO@BC-activated PDS system. When the PDS concentration was 2 mM, the nZVI/CuO@BC-activated PDS system realized efficient debromination and mineralization of TBBPA at the ratio of 79.12% and 79.36%, respectively. The results of EPR studies and radical scavenger experiments revealed that both hydroxyl radical (·OH) and sulfate radical (SO4·-) were responsible for TBBPA degradation. The nZVI could active PDS indirectly through electron transfer mechanism and exhibited synergistic effects with CuO on PDS activation. Furthermore, the nZVI/CuO@BC-activated PDS system showed good potential to degrade TBBPA in real water environment. Therefore, nZVI/CuO@BC could be a novel strategy for efficient PDS activation and TBBPA degradation in alkaline environment.

In situ fabrication of a novel S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyts Bi2O3/P-C3N4 to enhance levofloxacin removal from water

The removal of antibiotics from water by S-scheme heterojunction photocatalytic materials has become a research hotspot in recent years. Herein, an S -scheme heterojunction Bi2O3/P-C3N4 composite photocatalytic material was prepared via in situ thermal polymerization and the degradation effect and internal mechanism of levofloxacin (LVFX) were explored under simulated sunlight. The results show that the Bi2O3/P-C3N4 composite photocatalytic material can remove 89.2% of the LVFX in water within 75 min under simulated sunlight, which is greatly improved compared to the original Bi2O3 and P-C3N4. The degradation effect is improved because the constructed S-scheme system helps spatially separate the electrons with higher reducing abilities generated by P-C3N4 and the holes with higher oxidizing ability generated by Bi2O3; moreover, BET specific surface area and the hydrophilicity is improved. Further through radicals capture, electron spin resonance (ESR), the density functional theory (DFT) experiments verified the mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction degradation of LVFX and revealed that holes and superoxide free radicals are the main active substances in the degradation of LVFX. Finally, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS) was used to determine the intermediate products in the degradation path, and the LVFX degradation pathway was proposed. This study provides a new insight into the degradation of LVFX and provides support for antibiotic removal of photocatalytic materials in real water environments.

Hydrolysis characteristics and risk assessment of a widely detected emerging drinking water disinfection-by-product—2,6-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone—in the water environment of Tianjin (China)

Halobenzoquinones (HBQs) are an emerging class of drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that have been frequently detected in drinking water and are highly relevant to bladder cancer. Among the studied HBQs, 2,6-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (DCBQ) had the highest detection frequency and concentrations in drinking water. However, compared to other countries, the studies on HBQs that are being conducted in China, especially those on HBQs in drinking water, are not sufficient. Therefore, the concentrations of DCBQ in the Tianjin drinking water supply system were investigated in two seasons (winter and summer), and the risk that is posed by DCBQ in drinking water was evaluated for the first time. In addition, since HBQs are prone to hydrolysis in neutral and alkaline environments, identification of the hydrolytic characteristics of DCBQ at various pH values and in the real water environment is essential for better describing the environmental behavior of DCBQ; hence, the hydrolysis characteristics of DCBQ in phosphate buffers with various pH values and in four water samples were also examined in our study. The results demonstrated that DCBQ was widely detected in the drinking water treatment process and distribution systems, and the average concentration in our study (12.0 ng/L) was at a moderately high level compared with the reported concentration of DCBQ in the drinking water distribution networks. The risk quotient (RQ) of DCBQ is equivalent to that of trihalomethanes (THMs); thus, the relatively low concentrations of DCBQ should also be considered. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the hydrolysis of DCBQ follows first-order reaction kinetics, the reaction rate accelerates as the pH of the phosphate buffer system increases, and the rate of hydrolysis of DCBQ in drinking water is affected not only by the pH but also by other environmental factors, such as the organic matter concentration. Therefore, further investigation is necessary to identify the main factor of DCBQ hydrolysis in real water environments.

Carbon Dots Derived from Facile Tailoring of Shaerhu Lignite as a Novel Fluorescence Sensor with High‐Selectivity and Sensitivity for Cu2+ Detection

AbstractThis study aims to find an appropriate method to produce fluorescent carbon dots (FCDs) from a low‐rank coal, understand the fluorescence mechanism, and explore the application prospect of the FCDs. We reported a mild, green, and cheap top‐down strategy to make the FCDs by oxidizing Shaerhu lignite (SL) with H2O2, which could accelerate post‐processing and avoid the release of highly toxic gases. Our approach shows a great potential for the large‐scale production of FCDs using a lignite as the feedstock. SL‐derived FCDs (SLDFCDs) exhibit different emission modes, in which the short wavelength emission intensity was significantly enhanced by partial reduction. Evolution of the surface states and the analysis of electronic structure show that different fluorescence centers, domains and surface defects, and nanosized sp2 carbon could result in different emission characteristics of the SLDFCDs. The size of SLDFCDs also affects luminescence. The reduced SLDFCDs (RSLDFCDs) can be used as an efficient label‐free fluorescent sensing material to detect Cu(II) ions with a low detection limit of 2.0 nM, which shows their great potential as sensors in a complex real water environment. This study provides an alternative way of directional lignite utilization for fabricating carbon materials. We also found a better way out for lignite utilization, which could lead to the development of a low cost sensor using lignites as the precursor.

Solar photocatalytic degradation of thidiazuron in Yangtze River water matrix by Ag/AgCl-AC at circumneutral condition.

It is well-known that the degradation of pollutants in real water environment is not only challenging but also has practical value. This paper focuses on the photocatalytic degradation of thidiazuron (TDZ), a popular defoliant, using Ag/AgCl-AC (Ag@AC 2:1); AC stands for activated carbon) in a matrix of Yangtze River water under sunlight irradiation. The prepared composite catalyst exhibits excellent performance in TDZ degradation under near neutral condition, the degradation rate reaches 94% in 200min under solar irradiation. The common inorganic anions (SO42-, Cl-, and HCO3-) and cations (Ca2+, Cu2+, and Mg2+) show inhibitory effect of different degrees on TDZ degradation. Humic substances such as humic acid and fulvic acid also have an effect on the photocatalytic degradation of TDZ. With the increase of humic acid concentration, there is enhancement of inhibitory effect. As for fulvic acid, its effect is complex due to competitive adsorption and photoinduction action. The degradation products as identified by UHPLC-MS are mainly CO2, SO2, and H2O, indicating that the degradation was thorough. The reusability test of four runs reveals that the performance of the photocatalytic system is stable. The results demonstrate that sunlight can be well utilized for the photocatalytic degradation of TDZ. The study offers a cheap and effective approach for the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in circumneutral water bodies.

Preparation of Magnetic Porous Aromatic Framework for Rapid and Efficient Removal of Organic Pollutants from Water.

In this study, efforts were made to prepare a porous aromatic framework (PAF) with build-in magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4-PAF) for use as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of organic pollutants from water. The Fe3O4-PAF showed good handleability and could be recovered easily by magnetic separation. As a proof of concept, the adsorption properties of Fe3O4-PAF were investigated to remove 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and bisphenol A (BPA) from water. The Fe3O4-PAF showed a fast adsorption rate, high adsorption efficiency and high adsorption capacities. It adsorbed 2,4-DCP (0.1 mmol L-1) and BPA (0.1 mmol L-1) with pseudo-second-order rate constant (k2) of 2.1 and 3.54 g mg-1 min-1, respectively. According to the Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacities of 2,4-DCP and BPA onto Fe3O4-PAF were calculated to be 234.74 and 233.65 mg g-1, respectively. The Fe3O4-PAF also featured good tolerance to harsh conditions, facilitating its application in a real water environment. It could be regenerated easily and reused multiple times without obvious loss of efficiency. In summary, this study provides a general and effective way to improve the handleability of PAFs and expands the practical application of PAF-based materials.

Persulfate activation by two-dimensional MoS2 confining single Fe atoms: Performance, mechanism and DFT calculations

Developing efficient catalysts for persulfate (PS) activation is important for the potential application of sulfate-radical-based advanced oxidation process. Herein, we demonstrate single iron atoms confined in MoS2 nanosheets with dual catalytic sites and synergistic catalysis as highly reactive and stable catalysts for efficient catalytic oxidation of recalcitrant organic pollutants via activation of PS. The dual reaction sites and the interaction between Fe and Mo greatly enhance the catalytic performance for PS activation. The radical scavenger experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance results confirm and SO4− rather than HO is responsible for aniline degradation. The high catalytic performance of Fe0.36Mo0.64S2 was interpreted by density functional theory (DFT) calculations via strong metal-support interactions and the low formal oxidation state of Fe in FexMo1-xS2. FexMo1-xS2/PS system can effectively remove various persistent organic pollutants and works well in a real water environment. Also, FexMo1-xS2 can efficiently activate peroxymonosulfate, sulfite and H2O2, suggesting its potential practical applications under various circumstances.