Self-floating FeOOH/EPE catalyst derived from waste expandable polyethylene for boosted peroxymonosulfate activation for removal of tetracycline hydrochloride

The new strategy was proposed to prepare floatable photocatalysts. Expandable polyethylene (EPE) was popularly known as packaging fill materials. Coincidentally, EPE was light materials that can be regarded as the best carriers to prepare floatable photocatalysts. The FeOOH/EPE was prepared using low-temperature oxidation methods. Moreover, the effects of Fe-loading amount, pH value, catalyst dosage, PMS concentration, humic acid, and the anion on the removal efficiency toward the tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) degradation were evaluated. Almost 50-mL TC-HCl (20 mg/L) was degraded within 14 min under UV–visible light. Notably, the removal efficiency of the FeOOH/EPE/PMS over TC-HCl was twice as FeOOH/PMS at 2 min. The degradation efficiency of the Metanil Yellow, Methyl orange, Methylene blue hydrate, Oxytetracycline, and Doxycycline hydrochloride by FeOOH/EPE/PMS was discussed in natural water. Moreover, the removal efficiency of the above organic pollutant mixture was evaluated. Both ¹O₂ and O₂^{· −} were confirmed to be the main ROSs participating in the photocatalytic degradation over TC-HCl.