Study on the degradation of tetracycline in wastewater by micro-nano bubbles activated hydrogen peroxide

Recently, the micro-nano bubble (MB) technology has attracted people's attention due to its special advantages. Here, we carried out the technology of combining MB and hydrogen peroxide (MB/H2O2) to achieve efficient degradation of tetracycline wastewater. The effect of MB/H2O2 technology on the degradation efficiency of tetracycline was deeply analysed by investigating the reaction time, H2O2 dosage, pH and MB inlet flow. The results showed that the degradation rate of tetracycline hydrochloride by MB/H2O2 technology can reach 92.43%, which is 9.44 and 3.94 times that of MB and H2O2 alone. Through electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis and free radical quenching experiments, a possible mechanism for MB/H2O2 technology to efficiently degrade TC was proposed. In the MB/H2O2 system, the high temperature and high pressure environment generated when MB ruptures can activate H2O2 to obtain a higher number of active oxygen species. •OH is the main reactive oxygen radical in the process of MB/H2O2 degradation of TC, followed by HO2•/•O2-. In addition, the possible intermediate products of the oxidation TC process were identified by HPLC-MS technology. Under the action of •OH and HO2•/•O2- free radicals, TC molecules undergo demethylation and hydroxylation, ring-opening reactions, isomerization, deethylation, deacylation, deamination and dehydration reactions to generate intermediate products and finally convert them into CO2 and H2O. The development of MB/H2O2 technology can potentially be used to efficiently remove TC substances in the water environment and provide a new method for water purification.