Unveiling amoxicillin photocatalytic decontamination utilizing CuFe2O4/CuS core-shell heterostructure-integrated peroxymonosulfate activation: Mechanism insights, aquatic hazard assessment, and environmental implementation

In this study, the performance of an efficient magnetic core-shell heterostructure, CuFe2O4/CuS (referred to as CFOCS), was assessed for the disintegration of amoxicillin (AMOX) under simulated sunlight irradiation in the presence of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The Characterization analyses demonstrated the successful construction of the CFOCS magnetic core-shell. Comparative studies demonstrated the superior performance of the CFOCS/PMS/xenon ternary system compared to binary and individual processes, with a synergy index (SI) of 1.21. The purification experiments illustrated that complete removal of the AMOX antibiotic was achieved under optimized conditions, including a pH of 7.0, PMS dosage of 2 mM, CFOCS quantity of 0.5 g L-1, and AMOX concentrations of 10 and 20 mg L-1. To elucidate the charge carrier migration pathway, a type II heterojunction model was proposed, supported by radical scavenging experiments, UV-Vis DRS, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Mott-Schottky (M-S) analyses. The mechanistic investigation revealed the dual activity of PMS, which can be activated both in the aqueous solution under xenon light and on the catalyst surface through Cu (I) and Cu (II) centers. A key aspect of this study was a comprehensive aquatic hazard assessment of amoxicillin (AMX) in both treated and untreated aqueous solutions, utilizing the hazard quotient (HQ) method. Eventually, the investigated ternary system demonstrated remarkable efficiency in AMX degradation across various water systems, including lake water, tap water, and deionized water (DIW). Notably, the system maintained exceptional stability in all tested water bodies, underscoring the practical applicability of CFOCS catalyst in real-world scenarios.