Degradation of Antibiotics Using Nickel/Copper-Based Single-Atom Catalysts: A Review

Antibiotic contamination has become a serious problem. As a category of catalysts, single-atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit efficient capabilities in antibiotic degradation. SACs can serve as catalysts to improve the efficiency of antibiotic degradation, thus reducing the efficacy of antibiotics. Among various SACs, nickel (Ni)- and copper (Cu)-based SACs present their unique advantages. The Ni-based SAC is characterized by good catalytic activity, high mechanical strength, and favorable thermal conductivity; the Cu-based SAC features a stable structure, high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and excellent thermal stability. These SACs (Ni/Cu-based SACs) and their complexes can fulfill functions in antibiotic degradation through the integration of their advantages. However, it is prone to generating more toxic intermediate products during the degradation of antibiotics, which may result in secondary pollution, thus blocking their industrial application. Therefore, developing new catalytic materials and modifying degradation pathways become important concerns. This article further predicts the application trend of SACs in the field of antibiotics and analyzes the problems in the degradation of antibiotics by SACs. These findings are expected to provide reference for the further degradation of antibiotics.