Strong Tribocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants by Natural Shell Particles

This study presents a waste-valorization strategy by developing calcined natural shell particles (CNSP) derived from waste oyster shells as an efficient tribocatalyst for degrading high-concentration organic pollutants, a challenge for which conventional photocatalytic approaches are hindered by light shielding. The CNSP catalyst, confirmed as calcite CaCO3 with low surface area and stable crystalline structure, demonstrated exceptional efficacy in degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) solutions across a wide concentration range (50–300 mg/L) under mechanical friction, achieving 99% removal of 50 mg/L RhB in 1 h and 300 mg/L RhB in 18 h with a 0.5 g catalyst. This catalyst maintained a degradation efficiency of over 95% in a continuous six-cycle process. Mechanistic studies revealed that the tribocatalytic process generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), primarily hydroxyl (•OH) and superoxide (•O2−) radicals, which drive the decomposition of dye molecules. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy directly confirmed the generation of these radicals. These findings establish CNSP as a promising, low-cost, and environmentally benign catalyst for wastewater treatment. This work not only provides a novel strategy for high-concentration dye removal but also reduces the environmental burden of aquaculture shell disposal. Further work is needed to evaluate its performance in real industrial effluents and with mixed pollutants.