Degradation of atrazine in water by BiMoO and visible light activated Fe/peroxymonosulfate coupling system.

In this study, the effects of ferric ion (Fe) on the degradation of atrazine (ATZ) in BiMoO/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) system under visible light irradiation was investigated. With the addition of Fe, ATZ in the visible light/BiMoO/PMS system degraded rapidly after 20 min treatment (removal rate > 99%). The enhancement of ATZ removal can be attributed to the role of Fe. As an electron transfer mediator, Fe not only inhibits the recombination of photo-charges and prolongs the life of photogenerated carriers, but also promotes the activation of PMS by accelerating the electron transfer from BiMoO to PMS. The generation of OH and SO in the system was determined via electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technology and quenching experiments. Furthermore, the characterization of BiMoO before and after reaction, influence of the reaction parameters (i.e., catalyst and PMS dosages, Fe and ATZ concentration, initial pH), influence of inorganic anions and humic acid, and the recyclability of catalyst in the vis/BiMoO/PMS/Fe system was also investigated. Additionally, the existence of Fe also exhibits a wide selectivity for the degradation of different pollutants and high treatment efficiency. In general, the vis/BiMoO/PMS/Fe system demonstrated the potential as an efficient, economical, and environment-friendly water treatment process.