LaCuMnOx perovskite activating persulfate for the degradation of bisphenol A: excellent tolerance to hypersaline environment

Background LaCuMnOx (LCMO) perovskite was designed as an effective catalyst to activate peroxydisulfate (PDS) to remove bisphenol A (BPA) in hypersaline wastewater. Results In the LCMO/PDS system, BPA (10 mg/L) was removed completely and the mineralization degree reached 74.9% in the presence of 0.12 g/L catalyst and 1.2 mM PDS. The BPA removal efficiency was still almost 100% even after five cycles. Metal ion leakage also indicated the stability of the catalytic system. • OH, SO 4 •− , 1 O 2 , and O 2 •− all contributed to BPA removal, and O 2 •− accounted for the greatest contribution. The presence of oxygen vacancies (V o ·· ) on the surface of the catalyst was important for PDS activation and the formation of active species. In addition, the system could still maintain outstanding performance even when [Cl − ] and [SO 4 2− ] were 100 g/L. CO 3 2− and HCO 3 − inhibited BPA degradation greatly, even at very low concentrations. The inhibitory effect was related to changes in the pH of the solution caused by the addition of CO 3 2− and HCO 3 − . This effect could be eliminated by adjusting the pH. Conclusion The system showed excellent catalytic performance, stability, and inorganic anion tolerance, indicating its potential for application in hypersaline wastewater treatment.