Confined Fe single atomic sites on (100) plane of anatase TiO2 nanofibers boost white LED driven Fenton-like norfloxacin degradation

Developing efficient and sustainable photocatalyst is crucial for antibiotic degradation in water treatment. Iron (Fe) species modified semiconductor photocatalysts have been widely used in visible-light driven Fenton-like systems. However, the limited dispersion of Fe sites and low redox rate of the Fe(III)/Fe(II) restrict the catalytic performance. Herein, the atomic Fe sites with highly dispersed coordination centers were confined (100) facets exposed titania nanofibers (Fe-TNFs) for efficient photocatalytic Fenton-like norfloxacin (NOR) degradation. The optimized Fe-TNFs catalyst could achieve 95% NOR removal after 5 h of white LED illumination, which is 15% higher than that of nanostructured Fe species. The high performance is credited for the enhanced visible light absorption, and the efficient electron transfer through Fe–O bonds in Fe-TNFs enables the fast cyclic transformation of Fe(III)/Fe(II), which can promote the continuous production of •OH in the photocatalytic Fenton-like system. This study can provide technical support for the developing a feasible and sustainable wastewater treatment solution, and provide reference for the fate and risk assessment of antibiotics in the environment. •Atomic Fe was confined on (100) exposed TiO2 by molten salt method.•Single atomic Fe sites improve visible light absorption.•Atomic Fe enhances the cyclic transformation of Fe(III)/Fe(II).•Fe sites accelerate the formation of •OH for efficient norfloxacin degradation.