Effective degradation of ciprofloxacin from aqueous solutions using heterogeneous electro-Fenton coupled with Fe@Fe2O3 core-shell nanoparticle

In the current research, a Ti/RuO 2 anode and Fe@Fe 2 O 3 catalyst were synthesized for electro-Fenton (EF) removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP). The results of the ANOVA from response surface methodology (RSM) indicated a significant relationship between experimental and predicted values. 100% CIP and 45% total organic carbon (TOC) removal were predicted at pH of 8.83, time of 14.80 min, current density of 19.19 mA/cm 2 , pollutant concentration of 15.13 mg/L, and catalyst dosage of 199.03 mg/L. Among the operational parameters, current density (F value = 191.90) and catalyst dosage (F value= 5.79) had the greatest and least effect on the CIP removal rate, respectively. The stability tests revealed excellent reusability of electrodes for long-term decomposition of CIP. The BOD 5 /TOC > 0.6 in the treated solution confirmed acceptable performance of the heterogeneous EF process in CIP degradation. A 25% growth inhibition rate of plant stems in the treated solution demonstrated the low toxicity and biodegradability of the effluent. The efficiency of the heterogeneous EF process for CIP removal in water matrices ranged from 43.65% to 100%. By evaluating the parameters, mineralization, production of different radicals, and energy consumption, the heterogeneous EF process can be considered for the effective decomposition of CIP from aqueous environments.