Insight into efficient removal of tetracycline from water by Fe–Si–B amorphous alloys

The removal efficiency of tetracycline (TC) by Fe-based amorphous (Fe^am) alloy was investigated through batch experiments, examining the effects of TC concentration, initial pH, and environmental temperature on its removal performance. The experimental results indicate that Fe^am, owing to its amorphous structure and excellent catalytic properties, has a TC removal rate that is 2.75 times greater than that of zero-valent iron (ZVI) powder. Within the range of initial pH values from 4 to 7, the degradation efficiency for TC remains high, with nearly all removal rates reaching 99 % after 30 min of treatment. The results suggest that the removal process is primarily attributed to adsorption (by Fe⁰ and its corrosion products) and reduction. The pH significantly influences the formation of iron corrosion products and the variations in TC species. The reactive adsorbed Fe²⁺ plays a crucial role in the removal process. In addition to demonstrating effective removal capabilities for TC, Fe^am also exhibits excellent removal performance for oxytetracycline (OTC) hydrochloride and chlorotetracycline (CTC) hydrochloride, underscoring its broad applicability among tetracycline antibiotics. In summary, this study provides a novel approach for the removal of tetracycline antibiotics from water.