Fabrication of recoverable Bi2O2S/Bi5O7I/ZA hydrogel beads for enhanced photocatalytic Hg0 removal in the presence of H2O2

The effective removal of elemental mercury (Hg-0) is a global challenge due to its toxicity and bioaccumulation threat to public health and ecosystems. Photocatalytic technology by visible light-driven photocatalysts is promising for Hg-0 removal. However, effective separation of photocatalyst powders from reaction solution limits its widespread use. To solve the problem, we report for the first time the successful fabrication of recoverable Bi2O2S/Bi5O7I/ZA hydrogel beads for enhanced photocatalytic Hg-0 removal in the presence of H2O2. Characterization techniques such as XRD, TEM, EDS, XPS, UV-vis DRS, PL, etc. are employed to understand the physicochemical properties and photoelectric performance of the photocatalysts. The serial BOSI photocatalysts all outperform the single component, which is attributed to the formation of a heterojunction between Bi5O7I and Bi2O2S. The coupling of 2-BOSI-ZA beads with H2O2 shows favorable synergistic effect, with Hg-0 removal efficiency in the following order: H2O2 + 2-BOSI-ZA < 2-BOSI-ZA + FSL < H2O2 + 2-BOSI-ZA + FSL. TPC, EIS, and PL tests confirm that the introduction of Bi2O2S effectively suppresses charge carrier recombination. ESR and free radicals capture experiments demonstrate that the main species responsible for removal of Hg-0 are O-center dot(2)- and (OH)-O-center dot. Density functional theory calculations exhibit that the internal electric field (IEF) between Bi5O7I and Bi2O2S contributes to the spatial charge separation of the heterojunction. The IEF leads to an S-scheme carrier transfer mechanism at the Bi2O2S/Bi5O7I interface that benefits the carrier separation on Bi5O7I, resulting in an enhanced photocatalytic performance. This work can provide further inspiration for designing hydrogel photocatalysts with an excellent activity in conjunction with oxidants in the field of mercury pollution control.