Nitrogen-doped carbon materials prepared using different organic precursors as catalysts of peroxymonosulfate to degrade sulfamethoxazole: First-time performance leading to the incorrect selection of the best catalyst. (June 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Xinyao; Wang, Liangjie; Dou, Junfeng; Qian, Feng; Qing, Zhuolin; Xie, Xiaolin; Song, Yonghui
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 326(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-06
• Subjects: Carbon source -- Peroxymonosulfate -- Sulfonamide antibiotics -- Surface-bound radical -- Toxicity prediction; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138442
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Nitrogen-doped carbon materials are effective catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to eliminate organic contaminants. In this research, the activity of nitrogen-doped carbon materials was significantly improved by optimizing the carbon source, and the reusability of the catalyst is used to select the best catalyst instead of depending on the performance in the first use, for avoiding the "short-life" catalyst with great initial activity. Fixing ferric nitrate nonahydrate and melamine as the metal and nitrogen sources, four catalysts were prepared using glucose, glucosamine hydrochloride, dopamine, and trimesic acid as the carbon sources, respectively. Based on the performance in PMS activation for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) removal, in the first use, the activity was Fe-DA-CN (carbon source: dopamine) > Fe-BTC-CN (carbon source: trimesic acid) > Fe-GLU-CN (carbon source: glucosamine) > Fe-DGLU-CN (carbon source: glucose). With no washing for the second time use, the activity was Fe-BTC-CN (0.135 min −1 ) ≫ Fe-DA-CN (0.037 min −1 ) > Fe-GLU-CN (0.032 min −1 ) > Fe-DGLU-CN (0.017 min −1 ). The large specific surface area, superior graphitization, and high CO/C–N group content endow Fe-BTC-CN with high ability in PMS activity. Surface-bound radicals are responsible for SMX elimination, and most of the SMX degradation intermediates have lower ecotoxicity than SMX. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Using reusability to compare activity of different catalysts is more rational. Trimesic acid is desired carbon source to prepare highly active catalyst. Graphitization is important for improving the activity of catalyst. The radicals bound to the catalyst surface play a major role in the removal of SMX.