Natural bamboo-derived porous carbon activates PMS for BPA degradation: A singlet oxygen-dominated nonradical pathway

Bisphenol A (BPA), a widespread endocrine-disrupting compound, necessitates efficient activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for its degradation. Conventional carbon-based catalysts frequently exhibit limited efficiency, poor stability, and potential environmental risks. Bamboo-derived porous carbon material (BCM) and bamboo-derived porous carbon material loaded with Fe (BCM-Fe) serve as effective catalysts for activating PMS to degrade BPA. The BCM/PMS system achieved a BPA removal efficiency of 94.44 % within 150 minutes, while the BCM-Fe/PMS system attained 97.8 %. Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis identified non-radical singlet oxygen (¹O₂) as the dominant reactive species. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated that atomically dispersed Fe species on BCM-Fe significantly enhanced PMS adsorption energy and activation kinetics compared to BCM. Both catalysts exhibited excellent reusability, confirming their potential as practical and sustainable catalysts. This study provides fundamental insights for designing efficient, environmentally benign carbon-based catalysts for advanced oxidation processes.