Synergistic Cr(VI) Reduction and Chloramphenicol Degradation by the Visible-Light-Induced Photocatalysis of CuInS2: Performance and Reaction Mechanism

Chaosheng Zhu; Jingyu Li; Yukun Chai; Yongcai Zhang; Yunlin Li; Xiangli Zhang; Jin Liu; Yan Li

doi:10.3389/fchem.2022.964008

Synergistic Cr(VI) Reduction and Chloramphenicol Degradation by the Visible-Light-Induced Photocatalysis of CuInS₂: Performance and Reaction Mechanism

Front Chem. 2022 Jul 12:10:964008. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2022.964008. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Chaosheng Zhu¹, Jingyu Li¹, Yukun Chai¹, Yongcai Zhang², Yunlin Li¹, Xiangli Zhang³, Jin Liu⁴, Yan Li¹

Affiliations

¹ Zhoukou Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Remediation, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China.
² School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
³ College of Chinese Language and Literature, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China.
⁴ Henan Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Functional Materials, International Joint Research Laboratory for Biomedical Nanomaterials of Henan, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, China.

Abstract

Despite significant scientific efforts in the field of water treatment, pollution of drinking water by toxic metal ions and synthetic organic compounds is becoming an increasing problem. The photocatalytic capabilities of CuInS₂ nanoparticles were examined in this study for both the degradation of chloramphenicol (CAP) and the reduction of Cr(VI). CuInS₂ nanoparticles were produced using a straightforward solvothermal approach and subsequently characterized by many analysis techniques. Simultaneous photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction and CAP oxidation by the CuInS₂ nanoparticles under visible-light demonstrated that lower pH and sufficient dissolved oxygen favored both Cr(VI) reduction and CAP oxidation. On the basis of active species quenching experiments, the possible photocatalytic mechanisms for Cr(VI) conversion with synchronous CAP degradation were proposed. Additionally, the CuInS₂ retains a high rate of mixed pollutant removal after five runs. This work shows that organic contaminants and heavy metal ions can be treated concurrently by the visible-light-induced photocatalysis of CuInS₂.

Keywords: Cr(VI) reduction; CuInS2; chloramphenicol degradation; synergistic effect; visible light photocatalysis.