Pulsed Gas–liquid Discharge Synergistic CuFe2O4 Stimulated Fenton Reaction for Tetracycline Degradation

Excessive used antibiotics in various industries has caused significant impacts on both the human health and ecological environment. Low-temperature plasma, has gradually gained attentions in wastewater treatment. To improve the degradation performance of antibiotics in water, plasma coupled with catalysts are usually conducted. In this study, pulsed gas–liquid discharge coupled with CuFe2O4 was utilized for the degradation of tetracycline in water. The results showed that CuFe2O4 dosage, pulse voltage, initial concentration of tetracycline, and working gas had important effects on the degradation of tetracycline. Compared to plasma treatment alone, the plasma-catalytic system had a significant enhancement in the degradation rate. The catalytic mechanism of gas–liquid discharge synergistic CuFe2O4 is proposed. Radical quenching experiments showed that H2O2 is one of the most key active species in the plasma/CuFe2O4 degradation. The results of the study provide an effective way to treat antibiotics in water.