Photo-assisted Fenton degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride with magnetic Fe3S4/CuS composite

[Display omitted] •Fe3S4/CuS composites were prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method.•Fe3S4/CuS composite material were an efficient and recyclable green catalyst that is easy to separate.•Fenton-like catalytic and photocatalytic effects were combined for organics purification.•Fe3S4/CuS composite catalyst expands the range of pH adaptation.•The optimal mass ratio of CuS in the composite was determined. In recent years, semiconductor materials have gradually become popular through photodegradation of organic pollutants, and the semiconductor materials Fe3S4 and CuS have their own shortcomings. To make both materials useful, Fe3S4/CuS composites were prepared by hydrothermal method and degradation experiments were carried out using tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) as a simulated pollutant. The effects of factors such as the mass ratio of Fe3S4 to CuS, temperature, pH changes, the consume of H2O2, and the amount of catalyst added on the degradation of TCH were explored. At room temperature, the Fe3S4/CuS composites exhibit good Fenton degradation efficiency. The F1C1.5 composite (mass ratio of Fe3S4 to CuS is 1:1.5) achieved 74.60 % at pH 4.0 within one hour. Subsequently, the free radical capture experiments and metal leaching experiments were conducted, and it was found that the active substance h+ played a major role. At the same time, the F1C1.5 composite shows stability, allowing for a lower concentration of iron leaching and having high catalytic activity after 5 cycles. These degradation properties, together with the ease of fabrication of the catalyst, will facilitate the practical application of this system in the continuous removal of TCH.