Construction of a controllable and dispersed Fe3O4-based catalyst using ZIFs as a spatial support for highly catalytic degradation of aflatoxin B1

A Fe3O4-based catalyst with controllable properties and good dispersity was constructed utilizing zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) as a spatial support. Fe3O4 was attached onto the ZIFs surface via a facile strategy and the resulting Fe3O4/ZIFs material was applied as peroxymonosulfate catalyst for highly effective aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) degradation. The AFB1 degradation efficiency can be regulated by controlling the surface area and pore distribution of Fe3O4/ZIFs. Fe3O4/ZIFs (1:8) exhibited good catalytic ability within a wide pH range (3−8). A degradation efficiency of 97.4 % was achieved within 30 min, with 80.3 % degraded within the first 5 min, which was attributed to the ZIFs support structure, effectively improving the dispersity and mass transfer efficiency of Fe3O4. O2·− and 1O2 were the dominant active species in AFB1 degradation. Subsequently, the AFB1 degradation pathway was proposed. This study provides a promising and novel approach to the enhancement of catalytic activity for efficient AFB1 degradation.