Degradation mechanism and QSAR models of antibiotic contaminants in soil by MgFe-LDH engineered biochar activating urea-hydrogen peroxide

Developing an in-situ soil remediation technology for simultaneous catalytic degradation of contaminants and nitrogen supplementation is of great importance but remains challenging. Herein, MgFe-LDH engineered biochar (MB) was successfully synthesized by using a simple co-precipitation method. The as-prepared materials were used as catalysts for the first time to activate urea-hydrogen peroxide (UHP) to degrade antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and provide nitrogen. The enhanced degradation efficiency of SMX (91%) were mainly attributed to •OH and 1O2-mediated oxidation. Pot experiments showed MB/UHP significantly decreased the SMX concentration from 6.47 to 2.10 mg kg−1 and simultaneously increased NH4+-N and NO3--N concentration. The optimal quantitative-structure-activity-relationship model for 19 antibiotics suggested the dipole moment, energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital, and bond order were the intrinsic influencing factors. This study not only provides a green remediation technology but also offers a theoretical basis for estimating the removal rate of unexplored antibiotics. [Display omitted] •A green soil remediation technology involving MgFe-LDH-catalytic UHP was developed.•The technology used for simultaneous soil antibiotic degradation and N supply.•The developed QSAR offers a theoretical basis to estimate unexplored antibiotics.