Copper-incorporated zinc manganite as a novel catalyst for activating peroxymonosulfate in the degradation of tetracycline

This study explored the use of zinc manganite (ZMO) as a novel catalyst for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, the catalytic activity of which was further improved through the incorporation of copper, leading to the development of copper-incorporated zinc manganite (CZMO). It exhibited remarkable efficiency in degrading the antibiotic tetracycline (TET). The experiment achieved a significant 97.9 % degradation of 10 ppm TET within just 40 min. The catalytic activity of CZMO was significantly higher compared to ZMO evident from the pseudo-first-order reaction constant for CZMO (0.09232 min−1) which was 6 times higher than that of ZMO (0.01656 min−1). CZMO's activity rose with dosage & functioned well across pH, with pH 7 optimal. It tolerated common anions and humic acid. Different reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen (1O2), superoxide radical (O2−•), hydroxyl radical (OH•), and sulfate radical (SO4−•) were involved in the degradation process, with O2▪¯ and 1O2 identified as the most prominent. CZMO's easy separation and reusability indicate its durability. Dual active sites (Mn & Cu) and abundant oxygen vacancies from Cu incorporation promote excellent performance. This novel catalyst efficiently removes organic pollutants, suggesting promise for wastewater treatment.