Soft-chemical synthesis and rational application of transition-metal tetrachalcogenide for LED-driven photocatalytic degradation of lomefloxacin in water

The current research focuses on the hydrothermal assembly of copper tungsten sulfide (Cu2WS4) for photocatalytic degradation of lomefloxacin (LOM), a toxic and persistent antibiotic in water. The hydrothermal synthesis aided in tailoring the morphology of Cu2WS4. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and Raman revealed the morphology, composition, crystallinity, and other properties of the material. Under light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation (20 W) for 120 min, 60% LOM degradation was catalyzed for a 20 mg catalyst dosage. In addition, Cu2WS4 possessed good reusability and stability for three consecutive runs. Moreover, active radical scavenging experiments indicated that hydroxyl radicals (OH-) were the primary oxidant responsible for LOM degradation. The electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) results indicated the catalytic disassociation of LOM during the typical photocatalytic examination. Cu2WS4 showed maximum efficiency for LOM degradation owing to the quick electron transfer, effective visible-light absorption, and slower electrons-hydroxyl pair recombination Thus, the as-synthesized Cu2WS4 used for photocatalysis promotes a fit-for-purpose and dependable system for decontaminating LOM in environmental samples.