Metal–Organic Framework-Derived Ni₂P Decorated on Bi₂S₃: A Highly Efficient Z-Scheme Heterojunction for Visible Light Photodegradation of Antibiotics

Given the growing concerns about environmental issues stemming from widespread antibiotic use, developing effective methods to eliminate antibiotic residues from pharmaceutical wastewater is critically necessary. Photocatalysis has emerged as a crucial advanced oxidation technology with significant potential to meet these needs, igniting a surge in research on semiconductor photocatalysts. Herein, we report a robust tailoring of Ni2P–Bi2S3 heterostructures via a direct Z-scheme photocatalytic system for highly efficient and selective photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) and isoniazid (ISN). The current heterojunction offers several advantages, such as an effective charge transfer pathway, efficient charge separation, prolonged photoinduced charge carrier lifetimes, and enhanced redox potential. Photocatalytic experiments demonstrate that the Ni2P–Bi2S3 heterojunction achieves degradation efficiencies of 93.8% for TC and 90.2% for ISN, approximately twice that of the pristine materials. Trapping experiments were conducted, and the results indicate •O2– as the dominant reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, the photocatalytic degradation pathway of TC and ISN was proposed based on degradation products confirmed by LC-MS. The Ni2P–Bi2S3 heterojunction shows good recovery properties and excellent stability. These findings hold significant potential for developing efficient and recyclable photocatalysts for the degradation of antibiotics and organic pollutants.