Magnetic flower-like Bi5O7I/CuFe2O4 photocatalyst for doxycycline degradation: Combined experimental, density functional theory and antibacterial study

Photocatalytic technology has garnered significant attention due to its environmentally friendly nature and effective degradation capabilities. However, the absence of photocatalytic materials that possessed high removal efficiency, facile separation from aqueous phases, and good recyclability has constrained the advancement of photocatalytic treatment technologies. To address these challenges, a novel magnetic flower-like Bi₅O₇I-modified CuFe₂O₄ (BOI/CFO) photocatalyst was successfully fabricated via solvothermal method and subsequent calcination. The prepared BOI/CFO composites exhibited excellent antimicrobial properties and highly efficient photocatalytic degradation performance. Under the optimal conditions, the photodegradation efficiency of BOI/CFO composite (10 mg) for doxycycline (20 mg/L) was 99.48 % within 30 min under visible light irradiation, and retain above 88 % even after 5 consecutive uses. Further characterization and bacterial experiments confirmed the presence of a photogenerated electron transfer mechanism in the BOI/CFO composite and its strong antimicrobial capability. Finally, the possible doxycycline degradation pathways were speculated by analyzing the corresponding degradation intermediates with LC-MS method, and the toxicity evolution of the doxycycline degradation products was valuated by using density functional theoretical method. This research is anticipated to furnish valuable insights into the designing of photocatalysts characterized by superior recyclability S-Scheme Heterojunction Photocatalyst.