Bembibre, AlejandroBenamara, MajdiMokhtar, HjiriGómez, ElviraAlamri, Hatem R.Dhahri, RamziSerrà i Ramos, Albert2021-09-172021-08-271385-8947https://hdl.handle.net/2445/180125Highly efficient, long-term, eco-friendly catalysts for water decontamination technology are urgently needed to meet the prioritized objectives of green development and societies worldwide. Ca-doped ZnO were investigated as environmentally friendly sono-photocatalytic system under LED visible light irradiation to efficiently mineralize tetracycline-based antibiotics. The effects of pH, Ca doping, light, ultrasound, and pH on the mineralization of tetracycline by Ca-doped ZnO nanopowders and on the chemical, sono-, photo- and sono-photostability of Ca-doped ZnO nanopowders were systematically investigated. The ZnO-based catalyst with 2 at. % of Ca dopant exhibited the best sono-photocatalytic performance in mineralizing tetracyclines under visible LED light and ultrasound irradiation (i.e., 99% mineralization in 90 min), with excellent reusability and minimal sono-photocorrosion (i.e., 1% of catalyst dissolution in 180 min), which were even greater in the absence of organic pollutants and in the pH range of most natural waters. For Ca-doped ZnO nanopowders, the role of the generated reactive oxygen species under light and ultrasound stimulation and the mechanism of the mineralization of tetracycline were analyzed. In conclusion, the sono-photocatalytic mineralization of antibiotics synergizing visible LED light and weak ultrasound irradiation in the presence of Ca-doped ZnO nanopowders presents an outstanding start to developing highly efficient, long-term, eco-friendly catalysts for efficiently treating emerging organic pollutants.15 p.application/pdfengcc-by-nc-nd (c) Bembibre et al, 2022https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/FotocatàlisiTetraciclinesDescontaminacióPhotocatalysisTetracyclinesDecontaminationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article7136682021-09-17info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess