Photocatalytic activation of peroxymonosulfate by Bi2WO6/Fe3O4/ZrO2 magnetic composite for degradation of cloxacillin, moxifloxacin, and azithromycin antibiotics under visible LED light irradiation

Activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with an appropriate photocatalyst under visible light is a promising strategy for efficiently degrading persistent organic contaminants in various water environments. This study aimed to activate PMS using the magnetic Bi 2 WO 6 /Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 photocatalyst for the efficient degradation of the persistent antibiotics cloxacillin (CLX), moxifloxacin (MOX), and azithromycin (AZY) in water resources under visible LED light. The response surface methodology-central composite design (RSM-CCD) technique was employed to evaluate the interaction effects of operational parameters on photocatalytic activity . Analysis of variance (ANOVA) results indicated that pH was the most influential factor on CLX and MOX degradation, while initial antibiotic concentration significantly affected AZY photodegradation efficiency. The Bi 2 WO 6 /Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 + LED+PMS process could degrade 95.83 % of CLX, 96.99 % of MOX, and 98.23 % of AZY under optimal conditions. The photocatalytic mineralization rates achieved for CLX, MOX, and AZY were 85.71 %, 75.75 %, and 80.21 %, respectively. Results from the scavenging experiments indicated that superoxide radicals were primarily responsible for the degradation of CLX, MOX, and AZY. Our study showed that the magnetic Bi 2 WO 6 /Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 composite is highly effective in activating PMS, facilitating the thorough degradation and mineralization of various antibiotic pollutants. • The Bi 2 WO 6 /Fe 3 O 4 /ZrO 2 + PMS + LED process was used to antibiotics degradation. • Central composite design (CCD) was used for parameters optimization. • O · 2 − radicals played a dominant role in degradation of CLX, MOX, and AZY antibiotics. • 95.83 % CLX, 96.99 % MOX, and 98.23 % AZY were degraded under optimal conditions.