Visible Light-Driven Selective Organic Degradation by FeTiO3/Persulfate System: the Formation and Effect of High Valent Fe(IV)

Abstract The role of high-valent Fe has rarely been explored in persulfate-based heterogeneous reaction. Herein, the existence Fe(IV) is verified a visible light-assisted FeTiO3/persulfate system using methyl phenyl sulfoxide as probe. FeTiO3/persulfate/light capable selectively degrading aromatic compounds with lower ionization potentials including tetracycline and bisphenol A by photo-generated Fe(IV). contributions from SO4·-, ·OH 1O2 are excluded. comparable efficiency dark requires higher dosages suffers rapid deactivation. Based on XPS, Raman EPR analyses, poor activity caused formation complex between situ formed Fe(III) SO42-on FeTiO3 surface; this is, however, key intermediate for production under light irradiation. This study reveals long-ignored SO42- an abundant species iron-based persulfate systems. We also call re-evaluating real oxidation mechanism other reactions considering different mechanisms radicals iron.