Carbon cloth in situ loaded with ZIF-67 derived Co3O4 for peroxymonosulfate activation: An integrated synthesis-catalysis reactor

The synthesis of catalysts as well as their end-use applications are topics that are inextricably linked to the field of advanced oxidation technology. Herein, an integrated system of catalyst synthesis and catalytic application (ISCR) was proposed, preparing ZIF-67 derived Co3O4 in situ loaded on carbon cloth (CC-ZDC) for peroxymonosulfate activation to remove tetracycline (TC). It was found that CC-ZDC350 displayed superior activity with nearly 90 % TC degradation within 30 min, stable in 3 h of continuous operation. Mechanistic studies revealed that radical SO4 center dot- and center dot O2- are the reactive oxygen species that play a major role. When faced with perturbations in the actual environment, the ISCR's operation was less affected by both ions and pH. Besides, excitation-emission matrix spectra indicated that dissolved organic matter in the actual water matrix could be also attenuated in the accompanying stable TC removal by the ISCR. Further analysis of the effluent composition demonstrated a significant increase of small molecule intermediates, for which T.E.S.T calculation demonstrated that their toxicity was effectively reduced. Hence, the combined reactor of persulfate-based oxidation and catalyst synthesis showed great application potential in the efficient treatment of wastewater.