Enhanced Catalytic Efficiency of CeO2/BC@Fe3O4 Magnetic Catalyst in Activating Peroxymonosulfate for Effective Degradation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants that are widely present in aquatic environments and pose a significant threat to the ecological environment and human health. This study introduces a novel magnetic biochar-supported metal oxide catalyst (CeO 2 /BC@Fe 3 O 4 , CBF) as a peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activator in phenanthrene (PHE) degradation in aqueous environments. The degradation performance of the CeO 2 /BC@Fe 3 O 4 composite material was investigated through degradation experiments. The results showed that under the optimal reaction conditions, the degradation efficiency of 20 mg/L PHE solution within 60 minutes could reach 99.55% and maintained stability within a wide range of pH values. Radical quenching and EPR studies confirmed the involvement of SO 4 ·- , ·OH and 1 O 2 in the removal of PHE during the degradation process. The possible degradation pathways were proposed based on the identification of intermediates. The catalyst demonstrated excellent reusability and was effective in real water samples and for other organic pollutants, highlighting its potential for practical environmental applications.