Advanced Oxidation Process for Decontamination of Tetracycline from Wastewater Using Immobilized Magnetite

This study examines the solar-driven photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride in aqueous media using immobilized magnetite. The synthesized catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Photocatalytic experiments revealed that tetracycline degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, achieving 48% removal within 30 min and nearly complete degradation (99%) after 120 min of solar irradiation. The addition of Fenton reagent significantly enhanced degradation efficiency by promoting the generation of reactive oxygen species. The formation of multiple degradation intermediates, along with a substantial reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) was observed. The immobilized magnetite catalyst exhibited good stability and reusability with minimal loss of activity over repeated cycles. Overall, the results demonstrate that magnetite-based solar photocatalysis is a cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sustainable approach for treating TCT-contaminated wastewater.