Levofloxacin degradation in electro-Fenton system with FeMn@GF composite electrode

In this work, a one-step solvent-thermal approach was used to synthesize an Mn-doped Fe3O4 modified graphite felt (GF) composite electrode material (FeMn@GF), which was then used as the cathode in an Electro-Fenton (EF) system. The levofloxacin (LEV) in wastewater can be successfully removed by the EF system, which can produce and activate H2O2 in situ. The successful fabrication of the FeMn@GF composite electrode was confirmed by employing the characterization techniques of Scanning Electron Microscope, X-ray Diffraction, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Additionally, the electrochemical performance test was conducted. The FeMn@GF composite electrode demonstrated a greater electrochemical activity and a more robust electronic transmission ability. The LEV degradation experiment demonstrated reached 98.9 % that under ambient temperature conditions, within 120 minutes, given initial LEV concentration of 20 mg·L −1, Na2SO4 concentration of 50 mM, applied voltage of 3.0 V, initial pH value of 3, and aeration rate of 3.0 L·min −1.The highest leaching quantities of Fe and Mn were 1.294 mg·L−1 and 0.675 mg·L−1, respectively, while the removal effectiveness of LEV remained at 85.2 % after five cycles. Experiments using radical quenching revealed that the main active species were ·OH. The reaction mechanism of the EF system with FeMn@GF as the cathode (FeMn@GF-EF) and the degradation pathway of LEV were investigated. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd