Promoting selective water decontamination via boosting activation of periodate by nanostructured Ru-supported Co3O4 catalysts

The superior catalytic efficiency of ruthenium (Ru)-based nanocomposites in advanced oxidation processes for water decontamination has attracted accumulating attention worldwide. However, rather limited knowledge is currently available regarding their roles in activating periodate (PI), an emerging oxidant with versatile environmental applications. This study firstly delineated that Ru-supported Co3O4 (Ru/Co3O4), a typical Ru-based nanomaterial, can efficiently accomplish PI activation to eliminate multiple organic micropollutants and inactivate different pathogenic bacteria. Almost all eight micropollutants can be completely removed within 2 min of Ru/Co3O4-PI oxidation except sulfamethoxazole (SMX), which was degraded ∼70 % at 2 min with 100 % mineralization after 10 min. The excellent catalytic performance was independent of PI dosages, initial pH, and coexisting water constituents, demonstrating its prominent capability as a selective oxidation strategy. Diverse lines of evidence indicated the dominant role of single oxygen in the Ru/Co3O4-PI system, which triggered the generation of five transformation products of SMX with reduced environmental risks. Concurrently, PI was stoichiometrically converted to the eco-friendly IO3-. Additionally, Ru/Co3O4-PI system achieved 6-log inactivation of different pathogenic bacteria within 1 min, implying the feasibility of rapid water disinfection. Overall, this work demonstrated the excellent promise of Ru-based composites in PI activation for highly efficient and selective water decontamination. [Display omitted] •Ru/Co3O4-periodate system achieves efficient micropollutant abatement in 2 min.•Multiple reactive oxidizing species were produced in an oxygen-independent pathway.•IO4- was stoichiometrically converted to IO3- without any toxic iodine product.•Ru/Co3O4-periodate system accomplishes 6-log bacteria inactivation in 1 min.•1O2 triggers selective oxidation of micropollutants and accelerated disinfection.