Electric-Field-Driven Tourmaline/BiOCl Visible-Light Photocatalysis for Efficient Removal of Ofloxacin

Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) has garnered significant research interest owing to its non-toxicity, affordability, and distinct layered structure. Although BiOCl possesses promising photocatalytic potential, its large band gap and rapid photocarrier recombination restrict its practical use. In this work, a natural tourmaline mineral was effectively integrated with BiOCl to form a composite (TBO). Comprehensive characterization and photocatalytic assessments revealed that the intrinsic electric field of tourmaline notably strengthened both the adsorption capacity and the light-driven catalytic efficiency of BiOCl. Under visible-light irradiation, ofloxacin (OFX, 10 ppm) was eliminated by approximately 98% within 60 min. The apparent reaction rate constant (k) of TBO was 0.0407 min−1, which was approximately 184.8 and 2.26 times those of tourmaline alone and pristine BiOCl, respectively. Furthermore, both the visible-light absorption and the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs were significantly enhanced. After evaluating its behavior under various simulated natural environmental conditions, TBO displayed strong potential for practical application. Reactive species trapping and analysis identified singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide radicals (·O2−) as the primary active species in photocatalysis. Moreover, the degradation route of ofloxacin and the toxicity of its intermediates were systematically examined. These findings offer meaningful guidance for improving photocatalytic materials by utilizing naturally occurring minerals.