Abstract

Iron-doped biochar catalyst (Fe-CGB) was synthesized by embedding rust into coffee grounds using a high-temperature water bath. Fe-CGB was then used with activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to treat chloroquine phosphate (CQP) contaminated wastewater. The presence of biochar facilitates the cycling between Fe(III) and Fe(II) species, thereby augmenting the activation efficacy of PMS. The Fe-CGB/PMS system demonstrated exceptional catalytic degradation efficacy, achieving complete removal of CQP within a mere 30 min, with a reaction rate constant of 0.1501 min−1, surpassing the unmodified coffee grounds biochar by a factor of 47. Notably, under extreme pH conditions and in the presence of complex inorganic ions, CQP was entirely eliminated within 60 min. Mechanistic investigations revealed that biochar-mediated promotion of the Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle amplifies the activation efficiency of PMS, leading to the generation of abundant sulfate radicals (SO4·−) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH), which facilitate pollutant decomposition. Furthermore, Fe-CGB exhibited notable stability across multiple cycles, with minimal iron ion leaching and facile separation from the solution. Subsequently, the degradation effects of 18 organic pollutants were evaluated, and their potential as effective treatment methods for multiple pollution scenarios were explored in combination with theoretical calculations. Overall,this study provides insights into PMS activation as well as waste management.