Antibiotic contamination in water poses serious environmental and health risks, particularly through the promotion of resistant bacteria. A new study explores an innovative method for degrading Penicillin G (PG), a widely used antibiotic, using a biochar-loaded Fe-Cu layered double hydroxide (FeCu-LDH@BC) catalyst. This system, activated by visible light and peroxydisulfate (PDS), demonstrated rapid degradation of PG with 98.79% efficiency in just 10 minutes.

The study highlights the catalyst’s reusability, maintaining performance across four cycles, and underscores the synergistic interaction between biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More, the Fe-Cu LDH, and PDS, which enhances electron transfer during the photocatalytic process. Furthermore, the degradation pathway was mapped using density functional theory, revealing the catalyst’s ability to generate reactive species like sulfate radicals (SO₄·⁻) and hydroxyl radicals (·OH) for effective pollutant breakdown.

Initial tests with real wastewater also showed promising results, with the system reducing total organic carbon by 37.45% and chemical oxygen demand by 63.74%. Additionally, toxicity analysis indicated that the byproducts formed were significantly less harmful than the original antibiotic.

This research not only proposes an efficient method for antibiotic removal from water but also paves the way for the development of sustainable, visible-light-driven photocatalysts with broad environmental applications.