Performance evaluation of catalytic ozone oxidation of norfloxacin over Ce-Ni@WSA catalysts

Abstract Ce-Ni@WSA ozone catalyst was prepared and characterized by SEM, XRD, BET, XRF, and XPS analyses. The operating conditions and reaction mechanism of the Ce-Ni@WSA catalytic ozonation of norfloxacin (Nor) simulated wastewater were systematically studied. A data-envelopment analysis model (DEA-B²C) was then established to evaluate the catalytic ozonation process. Under the optimal conditions of initial pH 7.42 (raw water), ozone dosage = 0.4 g/L/h, catalyst filling ratio = 5%, humic acid dosage = 0 mg/L, the removal rates of COD and Nor reached 84.95% and 93.52%, respectively. Ce-Ni@WSA retained its high catalytic performance and mechanical strength after repeated use. Mechanistic studies showed that ·OH oxidation was dominant in the catalytic-ozonation system, and Nor can be degraded into small molecules through three different pathways and eventually mineralized. The DEA-B²C model analysis showed that the treatment cost was low and the catalytic efficiency was high under the optimal operating conditions.