Enhanced activation of PMS by a novel Fenton-like composite Fe(3)O(4)/S-WO(3) for rapid chloroxylenol degradation

Chloroxylenol (PCMX) is widely used as disinfectant since the epidemic outbreak due to its effective killing of Covid-19 virus. Its stable chemical properties make it frequently detected in surface water. Herein, we successfully modified Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles with S-WO(3) (X-Fe(3)O(4)/S-WO(3)) to accelerate the Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) cycle. The composite has outstanding PCMX degradation and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) decomposition efficiency over a wide pH range (3.0 ∼ 9.0). 80-Fe(3)O(4)/S-WO(3)/PMS system not only increased PMS decomposition efficiency from 27.7% to 100.0%, but also realized an enhancement of PCMX degradation efficiency by 16 times in comparison with that of Fe(3)O(4) alone. The catalyst utilization efficiency reached 0.3506 mmol∙g(−1)∙min(−1) which stands out among most Fenton-like catalysts. The composite has excellent degradation ability to a variety of emerging pollutants, such as antibiotics, drugs, phenols and endocrine disrupters, and at least a 90% removal efficiency reached in 10 min. The degradation of PCMX was dominated by HO(•), SO(4)(•−) and (1)O(2). The degradation pathways of PCMX were analyzed in detail. The component WS(2) in S-WO(3) plays a co-catalytic role instead of WO(3). And the exposed active W(4+)(surf.) efficiently enhanced the Fe(3+)/Fe(2+) cycle, thereby complete PMS decomposition and high catalytic efficiency were achieved. Our findings clarify that applying two-dimensional transition metal sulfide WS(2) to modify heterogeneous Fe(3)O(4) is a feasible strategy to improve Fenton-like reaction and provide a promising catalyst for PCMX degradation.