Tetracycline antibiotics, extensively used in clinical and industrial applications, have been widely detected in aquatic environments. However, existing studies have focused on low-generation tetracyclines, and high-generation tetracycline (HGT) pollution has been overlooked for a long time. To address this gap, a novel MXene/CNTs@carbon cloth (CC) composite electrode was fabricated for in situ HGT degradation. Through multi-scale hierarchical structure design (CC macroscopic layer-CNTs mesoscopic layer-MXene microscopic layer), the interfacial electric field distribution was regulated to promote free radical generation and diffusion. Meanwhile, the coupling effect of physical buffering and adsorption-degradation significantly inhibited the blockage of active sites. Under optimal conditions, the composite electrode completely degraded tigecycline (100 %) and omacycline (94.34 %) in 30 min, with a total organic carbon degradation rate of 91.64 % in 90 min. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the co-catalytic pathway of cathode H*/H2O2 and anode ·OH/active chlorine species was the dominant reaction mechanism. The regulation of interfacial electron transfer and adsorption energy was verified via density functional theory calculations, and the theoretical model of electrocatalytic synergistic HGT degradation was elucidated. Furthermore, three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy, Fukui index, and liquid-mass spectrometry techniques were employed to analyze the reaction pathway, and the toxicity assessment confirmed that the ecotoxicity of the intermediate product decreased significantly. The designed continuous current electrocatalytic reactor demonstrated high-efficiency and stable wastewater treatment capacity for HGTs, providing a “high-efficiency degradation–low toxic residue–sustainable operation” solution with strong potential for future practical applications.
InvivoChem is proud to provide Prof. Zhang with our high-quality product Omadacycline (tetracycline antibiotic; Cat#: V3867) for this research.
References: Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy, 2025, 379, 125744. doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2025.125744
