Comprehensive investigation of solvent effects on BiOBr synthesis: Understanding the photocatalytic mechanisms of enrofloxacin and its degradation pathway

It is critical to enhance the photocatalytic performance of BiOBr through appropriate strategies. Two BiOBr samples with different water (W) and ethylene glycol (EG) solvents have been synthesized. BiOBr-EG presents a 3D nest-like morphology composed of nanoplates, prominently emphasizing (110) facets. In contrast, BiOBr-W displays 2D microplates with exposed (102) facets. Notably, BiOBr-EG exhibits a degradation rate 7.4 times faster and removal efficiency of Enrofloxacin (ENR) 2.2 times greater than that of BiOBr-W. Additional investigations reveal that ·O2− plays a dominant role in the degradation process. Finally, the degradation pathways are explored through DFT calculation and HPLC-MS methods.