Insight into efficient removal of tetracycline from water by Fe–Si–B amorphous alloys

The removal efficiency of tetracycline (TC) by Fe-based amorphous (Fe am ) alloy was investigated through batch experiments, examining the effects of TC concentration, initial pH, and environmental temperature on its removal performance. The experimental results indicate that Fe am , owing to its amorphous structure and excellent catalytic properties, has a TC removal rate that is 2.75 times greater than that of zero-valent iron (ZVI) powder. Within the range of initial pH values from 4 to 7, the degradation efficiency for TC remains high, with nearly all removal rates reaching 99 % after 30 min of treatment. The results suggest that the removal process is primarily attributed to adsorption (by Fe 0 and its corrosion products) and reduction. The pH significantly influences the formation of iron corrosion products and the variations in TC species. The reactive adsorbed Fe 2+ plays a crucial role in the removal process. In addition to demonstrating effective removal capabilities for TC, Fe am also exhibits excellent removal performance for oxytetracycline (OTC) hydrochloride and chlorotetracycline (CTC) hydrochloride, underscoring its broad applicability among tetracycline antibiotics. In summary, this study provides a novel approach for the removal of tetracycline antibiotics from water.