Waste para-rubber wood ash and iron scrap for the sustainable preparation of magnetic Fenton catalyst for efficient degradation of tetracycline

[Display omitted] •A magnetic Fenton catalyst was prepared by the pyrolysis of iron scrap and ash.•Para-rubber wood ash was utilized as a Fenton catalyst support.•The catalyst rapidly degraded tetracycline by the Fenton process. This study introduces a sustainable method of synthesizing a magnetic Fenton catalyst. The use of readily available iron scrap waste and para-rubber wood ash from heating and power plants is innovative and cost-effective. The catalyst is obtained from the precursor materials by pyrolysis. The physicochemical properties of the catalyst were characterized to investigate the effects of different iron-to-ash ratios and pyrolysis temperatures. The Fenton process was investigated through the degradation of tetracycline (TC). A catalyst produced with an iron–ash ratio of 1:2 exhibited exceptional performances with a TC removal rate of up to 90 % within 15 min under optimized conditions. The Fenton catalyst also possessed desirable magnetic properties, enabling easy separation. The stable catalyst could be regenerated and was successfully recycled four times while retaining its efficiency. This research not only addresses environmental concerns but also highlights the potential value of two waste materials in the synthesis of advanced Fenton-like catalysts.