Template-Based Fabrication of Copper Oxide for Persulfate Activation: Investigating Non-Radical Mechanisms in Efficient Bisphenol A Degradation

Presently, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) emerge as highly effective methods for breaking down organic environmental pollutants. The current investigation involves the synthesis of copper oxide (CuO) catalysts utilizing a mesoporous silica (SiO₂) template for activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS), thereby targeting the elimination of bisphenol A (BPA). Characterized by their ideal pore volume and nanopore dimensions, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, serve as excellent templates for catalyst preparation. The CuO catalysts were meticulously synthesized through blending and calcination, guided by the use of mesoporous silica as a structure-directing template. This method aimed to induce significant changes in the conventional morphological characteristics of CuO. This alteration led to an increase in specific surface area and active sites of CuO, thereby enhancing PMS activation for the breakdown of organic contaminants. The work essentially demonstrates a BPA degradation rate of 89.57% within 5 minutes, incrementing to a remarkable 97.8% at the 60-minute mark, effectively achieving complete degradation. A comprehensive investigation of the CuO/PMS system's reaction mechanism for degradation of BPA involved an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy-based analysis along with a series of radical quenching tests. The findings suggest that non-free radicals play a predominant role in the degradation of BPA. Furthermore, the efficiency of BPA degradation remained at 72% following five reuses over 60 minutes, demonstrating consistent and effective degradation. This research emphasizes the pivotal role of non-radicals as the key driving force behind BPA degradation, providing compelling proof for their key role in the breakdown of organic pollutants.