ZIF-8-based auto-photopotential-driven catalysis for uranium and organic pollutant removal in radioactive water

Uranium and organic contaminants are frequently co-detected in radionuclide-polluted water bodies, posing severe risks to human health and ecosystems. To address this, we engineered an auto-photopotential-driven catalytic system (APDCS) for concurrent treatment objectives in complex radioactive wastewater: selective uranium recovery, organic pollutant degradation, and supplementary electricity generation. The system integrates a ZIF-8 cathode with a TiO 2 nanoarray (TNR)/silicon photovoltaic cell (Si PVC) photoanode. The hierarchical porosity of ZIF-8, combined with its abundant imidazole-N and C=N ligands, facilitates dual functionality—efficient UO 2 2+ reduction and organic oxidation. Under simulated sunlight illumination, the APDCS-ZIF-8 configuration achieved exceptional UO 2 2+ removal (97.4 ​%, k ​= ​0.043 6 min −1 ) and TCH degradation (96.0 ​%, k ​= ​0.040 4 min −1 ) within 80 ​min, demonstrating 14-fold and 9.6-fold rate enhancements over the APDCS-CF counterpart, respectively. This study pioneers resource-recovery strategies for heavy metal-organic co-contaminated radioactive effluents, with concurrent theoretical guidance for developing MOF-based cathodes in synergistic photoelectrocatalysis.