Harnessing CuCoOX-Modified copper phenylacetylene for enhanced activation of peroxymonosulfate in non-radical sulfisoxazole degradation: Performance, pathways, and mechanisms.

The advanced oxidation process utilizing peroxymonosulfate (PMS) represents a promising approach for the treatment of refractory antibiotic compounds in water. However, the unactivated form of PMS shows limited degradation efficiency, necessitating the development of activation strategies to improve catalytic degradation. In this study, a rapid and straightforward solvothermal method was employed to synthesize a CuCoOX-modified phenylacetylene copper catalyst (PhC2Cu), which effectively activates PMS for the degradation of sulfisoxazole (SIZ) in water. The modified catalyst exhibited a catalytic performance approximately 29 times greater than its unmodified counterpart, achieving complete degradation of the target pollutant within 5 min. Additionally, the PhC2Cu/CuCoOX + PMS system successfully degraded nine antibiotics, including sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Notably, the catalytic degradation of pollutants in this system primarily followed a non-radical pathway mediated by singlet oxygen (1O2) and high-valent cobalt-oxygen species (Co(IV)). These active species demonstrated strong anti-interference properties, maintaining stability in the presence of various ions, dissolved organic matter, and natural water matrices. Furthermore, the intermediates and degradation pathways of sulfisoxazole (SIZ) were identified through mass spectrometry analysis. This study not only provides a catalytic strategy for the efficient activation of PMS but also elucidates the non-radical degradation mechanism.