Bi(Ⅲ) and Ce(Ⅳ) functionalized carbon nitride photocatalyst for antibiotic degradation: Synthesis, toxicity, and mechanism investigations

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2023-08, Vol.333, p.138888-138888, Article 138888
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jian, Li, Yuanchun, Gong, Yuanyi, Zhu, Chuntao, Zhang, Lanhe, Tang, Hong, He, Weihua, Wang, Bing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - toxicity; Carbon nitride; Co-doping; Graphite - chemistry; Photocatalytic; Sulfamethoxazole; Sulfamethoxazole - toxicity; Visible light
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138888

Graphite-phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has shown great potential for antibiotic wastewater treatment due to its unique electronic structure and corresponding to visible light. In this study, a series of Bi/Ce/g-C3N4 photocatalysts with different doping amount were developed by direct calcination method for Rhodamine B and sulfamethoxazole photocatalytic degradation. The experiment result shows that the photocatalytic performance of Bi/Ce/g-C3N4 catalysts were better than that of single component samples. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the degradation rates of RhB (20 min) and SMX (120 min) by 3Bi/Ce/g-C3N4 reached 98.3% and 70.5%, respectively. The theoretical calculation results of DFT show that after Bi and Ce doping modification, the band-gap width of g-C3N4 is reduced to 1.215 eV and carrier migration rate is greatly improved. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was mainly attributed to the capture of electrons after doping modification, which inhibition of photogenerated carriers recombination and reduced the gap width. The cyclic treatment experiment of sulfamethoxazole showed that Bi/Ce/g-C3N4 catalysts had good stability. Ecosar evaluation and leaching toxicity test showed that Bi/Ce/g-C3N4 can be safely used for wastewater treatment. This study provides a perfect strategy for modifying g-C3N4 and a new way to improve the photocatalytic performance. [Display omitted] •Photoactivity of BCCN enhanced due to the narrower gap band and separation of photogenerated carriers.•First principles calculations including band gap width and carrier migration rate are performed.•Photocatalytic degradation mechanism of SMX by BCCN under simulated visible light irradiation was studied.•The possible pathways of SMX included: bond fracture, hydroxylation, replacement reaction, oxidation and ring cleavage.•The leaching toxicity of SMX and its products was evaluated by Ecosar assessment and E. coli tests.