Behaviors and Mechanism of Visible-Light-Assisted PMS Activation by Porous Iron Tailing-Based Geopolymer for Methylene Blue Degradation

TL;DR

A new geopolymer efficiently activates PMS under visible light to rapidly degrade methylene blue dye in wastewater.

Contribution

A porous geopolymer made from iron tailings and steel slag is developed for visible-light-assisted PMS activation.

Findings

The geopolymer achieves nearly complete methylene blue degradation within 30 minutes.

Reactive oxygen species •OH, 1O2, SO4•−, and •O2− contribute to the degradation process.

XPS analysis confirms structural robustness and iron species redistribution after reaction.

Abstract

Novel porous geopolymer (IGP&SS), possessing mesoporous structure and a compressive strength of 9.40 MPa, was synthesized through alkali activation of double solid wastes such as iron tailings and steel slag. To overcome the high activation energy barrier of oxidants for refractory pollutant treatment, the IGP&SS was designed to efficiently activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) under visible-light irradiation, generating reactive radicals for the rapid degradation of methylene blue (MB). The system achieved nearly complete removal within 30 min. To enhance MB removal, the effects of key factors including IGP&SS dosage, PMS dosage, initial MB concentration, temperature, and pH on the degradation process were systematically investigated. Quenching experiments revealed that several reactive oxygen species contributed to MB degradation, with the order of contribution being •OH > 1O2 > SO4•− > •O2−. Mechanistic studies indicated that the efficient MB degradation was primarily attributed to the flexible Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox cycling in IGP&SS, which accelerated PMS activation and radical generation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the post-reaction catalyst confirmed its structural robustness, revealing a characteristic binding energy shift in the O 1s peak to 530.8 eV and a quantitative redistribution of iron species (Fe(III) content increasing from 40.4% to 57.0%). Given its outstanding performance, demonstrated stability, and eco-friendly preparation, IGP&SS holds great promise for PMS-based advanced oxidation processes in dye wastewater treatment, offering a sustainable approach for high-value utilization of iron tailings and steel slag while alleviating resource scarcity.

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