Considering the persistent ecological risks posed by phosphate byproducts to aquatic systems during organophosphorus pollutant degradation, this study developed an aminated polyacrylonitrile fiber-immobilized nanozero-valent cobalt composite (PANAF-Co), which was utilized to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for degrading phenylphosphonic acid (PPOA) and simultaneously recovering the generated phosphate. Experimental results demonstrated that the PANAF-Co/PMS system achieved 98% PPOA degradation within 60 min across pH 3-9, with 95% efficiency retained under complex matrices (1 mmol·L-1 anions and 20 mg·L-1 humic acid). Furthermore, the modifications of amine groups and metallic cobalt significantly improved phosphate removal efficiency, endowing PANAF-Co with an enhanced adsorption capacity (16.45 mg P·g-1 within 60 min) and robust pH tolerance (4-7). Additionally, PANAF-Co exhibited excellent reusability, retaining 75.3% of its effectiveness after 5 cycles. It also effectively removed organophosphorus from Chaohu Lake water (91.6% removal) and agricultural tailwater (84.7% removal) in practical applications. Mechanistic studies revealed that SO4·- and ·OH were dominant reactive oxygen species, while phosphate removal was mediated through cobalt-phosphorus coordination and protonated amine synergistic adsorption. In conclusion, this work proposes a novel remediation strategy that simultaneously targets organophosphorus and phosphate, thereby providing a scalable solution for organophosphorus-contaminated wastewater remediation.
Zhang et al. (2026) studied this question.