Abstract
The study reports an innovative approach on sunlit driven heterostructure photocatalytic generation of H2O2 and removal of cefixime. In the present work, we have fabricated Mn/Mg doped CoFe2O4 modified CaCr2O4 decorated by Ag3PO4 quantum dots (Ag3PO4 QDs), a p-n-p nano heterojunction. The study promotes the photocatalytic production of H2O2 and self-Fenton photocatalytic degradation of cefixime. Egg white-assisted synthesis of Mn-doped CoFe2O4 causes the lattice oxygen defect, which enhances the photocatalytic activity. Lattice oxygen defect enable the adsorption of O2, which enable the conversion of •O2 in the valence band of CoFe2O4 for the endogenous production of H2O2. The higher in the surface area enhance the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. Mn–CoFe2O4–CaCr2O4–Ag3PO4 QDs enables the complete photocatalytic degradation of cefixime (99.9%) and the complete removal was determined by total organic carbon (TOC) removal and it was around 99.4%. Meanwhile the photocatalytic degradation pathway of cefixime was determined by LC-MS/MS. Reusability of the nano heterojunction was determined by six cycle test, and the reusability of the nano heterojunction was 99.8%. Further, the toxicity of the nanomaterial was studied in maize plant and the results shows that the nanoheterojunction enhances the maize growth. The study systematically reveals the robust activity of nano heterojunction for sustainable water treatment.
[Display omitted]
•The Mn/Mg–CoFe2O4–CaCr2O4–Ag3PO4 QDs showed outstanding visible-light photocatalytic activity.•Mn/Mg–CoFe2O4–CaCr2O4–Ag3PO4 QDs demonstrates good photostability and reusability.•It showed excellent photocatalytic generation of H2O2 due to its lattice oxygen vacancy.•Self-Fenton induced efficient photocatalytic degradation of cefixime.•Maize plant exposure of nanomaterial shows no detoxification and it induce the plant growth.