Synthesis of new heterogeneous iron-based nanocatalysts (FeSe2 and Fe3O4) for application in the degradation of psychiatric drugs via photo-electro-Fenton process

Abstract

Emerging contaminants (ECs) are compounds that, when discarded of incorrectly, cause damage to the environment. Classic methods of effluent treatment are often not efficient for the total mineralization of these classes of compounds. As alternative treatment methods, advanced oxidative processes (AOPs) aim at the generation of high oxidizing power radicals, such as the hydroxyl radical (*OH), for the degradation of these recalcitrant compounds. Several types of AOPs use catalysts to accelerate the generation of radicals formed in situ, being widely used catalysts based on iron oxides, known as Fenton-type processes. On the other hand, selenide nanoparticles in general have the characteristic of low band gap energy typical of semiconductors, being promising materials for use in photocatalytic processes. However, in these aforementioned processes, there is a need to add H2O2 to the system, so the electrochemical study of this class of nanomaterials anchored on the surface of carbonate materials such as Printex L6 carbon (CPL6) also become promising in the study of the oxygen reduction reaction. (ORR), since there can be the electrogeneration of H2O2 in situ, thus facilitating the formation of *OH. In this sense, with this project it is expected to mineralize the drugs Sertraline, Amitriptyline and Venlafaxine through the photo-electro-Fenton process using nanocatalysts based on iron selenides (FeSe2) and magnetite (Fe3O4) anchored on the surface of CPL6 deposited on the surface of rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) and gas diffusion electrode (GDR) to electrogenerated H2O2 in situ and subsequently form *OH which will be used as an oxidizing agent. Thus, a fast, cheap and safe method of treating these drugs using these new synthesized nanomaterials is sought.