Self-supporting CoFe2O4 nanoparticles on 2D g-C3N4/2D loofah activated carbon mediated peroxymonosulfate activation for tetracycline degradation

For antibiotic contaminants, biomass have been regarded as one of the most resource of functional carbonaceous materials due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and good adsorption/degradation performance. Herein, a self-supporting CoFe2O4 nanoparticles on 2D g-C3N4/2D loofah activated carbon (CoFe2O4/g-C3N4/BC) is successfully synthesized by simple hydrothermal method using loofah as carbon source and melamine as nitrogen source. The obtained CoFe2O4/g-C3N4/BC materials have a stable hierarchical sandwich structure with macroporous and mesoporous and a large surface area (189.52 m2/g), which can be used as an adsorbent/catalyst for the adsorption/degradation of organic pollutants. With these beneficial properties, the CoFe2O4/g-C3N4/BC material mediated peroxymonosulfate activation exhibits superior catalytic activity in the degradation of organic pollutants under ambient conditions. A model pollutant tetracycline (TC) can be rapidly degraded by 94.97 % within 25 min. The degradation efficiency was sustained at 88.21 % even after five operational cycles, with the cobalt metal leaching rate consistently below 50 μg/L. The inhibition experiment indicates that the main active species in the CoFe2O4/g-C3N4/BC + PMS system are SO4•−, HO• and 1O2, and the degradation of TC is achieved by the synergistic effect of free radical and non-radical pathways. This study provides a new perspective on the treatment of antibiotic wastewater via the sulfate radicals based-advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs). •Novel CoFe2O4/g-C3N4/BC synthesized for efficient tetracycline degradation.•Catalyst exhibits superior stability with low metal leaching after five cycles.•Degradation efficiency sustained across wide pH range 3–9.•Two degradation pathways of TC were proposed based on detected intermediates.•Mechanism of TC degradation in CoFe2O4/g-C3N4/BC + PMS system was investigated.