CoFe Prussian blue analogue nanospheres doped on porous biochar for enhanced ibuprofen degradation via peroxymonosulfate activation

The environmental presence of ibuprofen (IBP), a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, poses significant risks due to its incomplete metabolism and high toxicity of derivatives. This study presents an innovative approach using cobalt-iron Prussian blue analogues (CoFePBA) immobilized on porous biochar (SBM) for the degradation of IBP via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The synthesized CoFePBA@SBM catalyst exhibited superior physicochemical properties, including high specific surface area, robust structural stability, and abundant active sites, as characterized by SEM, TEM, XPS, and XRD analyses. The catalytic efficiency of CoFePBA@SBM in activating PMS was systematically evaluated under varying operational parameters, demonstrating remarkable IBP removal efficiency (up to 95.9 %) across a wide pH range. Mechanistic investigations revealed that both radical (SO₄^•−, HO^•, O₂^•−) and non-radical (¹O₂) pathways contributed significantly to the degradation process, supported by quenching experiments, EPR analysis, and DFT calculations. The proposed degradation pathways were elucidated through LC-MS, highlighting adequate mineralization into CO₂ and H₂O with minimal byproduct toxicity. The CoFePBA@SBM catalyst exhibited excellent recyclability and stability over ten cycles, with minimal metal leaching, complying with WHO guidelines. These findings underscore the potential of CoFePBA@SBM as a sustainable solution for mitigating antibiotic contamination in aquatic environments.