Cubic cobalt and zinc co-doped magnetite nanoparticles for persulfate and hydrogen peroxide activation towards the effective photodegradation of Sulfalene

In this work, the cubic cobalt and zinc doped and co-doped magnetite nanocatalysts were synthesized and characterized using different analysis. The so-synthesized photocatalysts were used for the activation of hydrogen peroxide (HP) and persulfate (PS) under UVA irradiation. The integration of Fe_2.5Co_0.3Zn_0.2O₄ improved the activation of PS and HP; wherein, the UVA/Fe_2.5Co_0.3Zn_0.2O₄/PS process demonstrated higher degradation performance for Sulfalene (SFL) as a veterinary pharmaceutical contaminant in water. Afterward, the effect of different physicochemical parameters was studied and the radicals generated through the process were identified using chemical scavengers. UVA/Fe_2.5Co_0.3Zn_0.2O₄/PS process brought about 67% of SFL degradation in real wastewater. Moreover, 85% of TOC removal was achieved within 15 h of the above-mentioned process. Eventually, the phototoxicity of the untreated and treated SFL solution after 120 min of the UVA/Fe_2.5Co_0.3Zn_0.2O₄/PS process was studied using Lemna minor aquatic species.