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. 2025 Jan;32(4):1971-1984.
doi: 10.1007/s11356-024-35713-5. Epub 2025 Jan 3.

Catalytic degradation of diclofenac by ZnO-Co3O4: identification of major intermediates and degradation pathway

Soumia Fergani  1 , Hanane Zazoua  2 , Adel Saadi  1 , Fatma Zohra Badri  3 , Amel Boudjemaa  3 , Khaldoun Bachari  3
Affiliations

Catalytic degradation of diclofenac by ZnO-Co3O4: identification of major intermediates and degradation pathway

Soumia Fergani et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2025 Jan.

Abstract

ZnO-Co3O4 material was successfully synthesized by the co-precipitation method and used as a catalyst for the removal of diclofenac sodium (DCF). ZnO-Co3O4 exhibited higher catalytic activity in the catalytic process compared to the photocatalytic processes. Under optimum conditions, the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) by ZnO-Co3O4 achieved approximately 99% removal of DCF, confirming the effective adsorption and activation of PMS. Quenching experiments indicated that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsible for the degradation of DCF by the ZnO-Co3O4/PMS system are singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide radicals (O2•-). The activation of PMS by ZnO-Co3O4 was associated with the coexistence and interaction between Co(II) and Co(III), as well as the formation of oxygen vacancies (V0) in ZnO. Cobalt leaching was negligible, and the degradation rate remained constant after four cycles, indicating the excellent stability and reusability of the ZnO-Co₃O₄ catalyst. Additionally, eight degradation products of DCF were identified by LC-ESI-MS, and their toxicity was evaluated using ECOSAR software (version 2.2). In conclusion, the ZnO-Co3O4/PMS system is a promising catalytic process for the degradation of organic molecules.

Keywords: Catalytic degradation; Diclofenac sodium; Oxygen vacancies; Peroxymonosulfate; ZnO-Co3O4.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: Not applicable. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

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