Activation of H2O2 by nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) enables fast sulfadiazine degradation: mechanistic insights and process optimization

IF 3.9 4区环境科学与生态学 Q3 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering Pub Date : 2025-10-11 DOI:10.1007/s40201-025-00957-x

Weishi Luo, Jiayu Cao, Weixuan Dai, Qingfen Geng, Yuankai Qiu, Hanying Yu, Zhuotian Ye, Huan Liu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Antibiotic contamination in aquatic systems demands advanced oxidation solutions. This study develops a nano zero-valent iron (nZVI)-activated peroxide system to address sulfadiazine (SDZ) persistence and associated ecological risks.

Methods

Structural properties of nZVI were analyzed by TEM/XRD. Process parameters were optimized through Box-Behnken design. Degradation mechanisms were investigated via radical quenching experiments, HPLC-MS analysis, and acute toxicity bioassays. ‌

Significant findings

The system achieved complete SDZ (20 mg L⁻¹) removal within 5 min under optimal conditions (pH 2.44, 0.12 g L⁻¹ nZVI, 0.009% H₂O₂), showing strong agreement with pseudo-first-order kinetics (k = 0.637 min ⁻¹, R²=0.998). Hydroxyl radicals dominated SDZ degradation, generating 12 transformation products through amino oxidation, hydroxylation, and sulfonamide bridge cleavage. Toxicity reduction (60–90% EC50 improvement) confirmed effective detoxification. This work establishes nZVI-driven peroxide activation as a viable strategy for antibiotic wastewater remediation.

Graphical abstract

Abstract Image

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纳米零价铁（nZVI）活化H2O2可实现磺胺嘧啶的快速降解：机理见解和工艺优化。

背景：抗生素污染的水生系统需要先进的氧化解决方案。本研究开发了一种纳米零价铁（nZVI）活化过氧化物系统，以解决磺胺嘧啶（SDZ）的持久性和相关的生态风险。方法：采用TEM/XRD分析了nZVI的结构性质。采用Box-Behnken设计对工艺参数进行优化。通过自由基猝灭实验、高效液相色谱-质谱分析和急性毒性生物测定来研究降解机制。‌。重要发现：该系统在最佳条件下（pH 2.44, 0.12 g L⁻¹nZVI, 0.009% H₂O₂），在5分钟内完全去除SDZ （20 mg L⁻¹），与伪一级动力学（k = 0.637 min⁻¹，R²=0.998）非常吻合。羟基自由基主导SDZ降解，通过氨基氧化、羟基化和磺胺桥裂解产生12种转化产物。毒性降低（EC50改善60-90%）证实有效解毒。这项工作建立了nzvi驱动的过氧化物活化作为抗生素废水修复的可行策略。图形化的简介:

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来源期刊

Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL-ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

CiteScore

7.50

自引率

2.90%

发文量

期刊介绍： Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering is a peer-reviewed journal presenting timely research on all aspects of environmental health science, engineering and management. A broad outline of the journal''s scope includes: -Water pollution and treatment -Wastewater treatment and reuse -Air control -Soil remediation -Noise and radiation control -Environmental biotechnology and nanotechnology -Food safety and hygiene