In situ anchoring of Fe‑doped ZIF‑67 on nanocellulose/chitosan aerogel for efficient removal of tetracycline: Synergistic effects of adsorption and catalysis

Tetracycline (TC) has attracted significant attention due to its persistence and widespread occurrence in aquatic environments, making the development of efficient removal strategies essential. In this study, an Fe-ZIF-67@CNF/CS composite aerogel with high-efficiency adsorption and catalytic performance was developed. Fe²⁺ doping introduced additional catalytically active sites while preserving ZIF‑67’s excellent adsorption performance, and the 3D porous nanofiber/chitosan (CNF/CS) aerogel effectively anchored Fe‑ZIF‑67 to prevent aggregation and enhance water stability. Both adsorption and PMS-catalyzed experiments demonstrated excellent TC removal, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 500.2 mg·g −1 and 91.2 % degradation within 30 min under low catalyst loading, across a broad pH range. These outstanding performances stem from adsorption-catalysis synergy: adsorption is driven by electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, and coordination, while degradation proceeds via rapid ROS generation under bimetallic Fe/Co synergy following adsorption enrichment. Based on the temporal contributions of adsorption and catalysis, the system mechanism for synergistic TC removal was elucidated. LC-MS analysis of TC degradation intermediates identified three degradation pathways and assessed their potential hazards. This work proposes a novel strategy for enhancing TC removal efficiency in water by optimizing adsorption-catalysis synergy.