Highly efficient removal of antibiotic from biomedical wastewater using Fenton-like catalyst magnetic pullulan hydrogels

Abstract Magnetic nanoparticles that can be employed as Fenton-like catalysts Fenton-like catalysts are attractive materials for degrading antibiotics. In this study, we facilely prepared novel magnetic pullulan (MP) hydrogels by doping modified magnetic nanoparticles into pullulan matrices, which could enhance catalytic degradation performance and strengthen the stability of resulting hydrogels. This is the first time that MP hydrogels have been fabricated successfully and used as Fenton-like catalysts for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) degradation. MP hydrogels were characterized and their catalytic TCH degradation abilities were also investigated. The optimized conditions (pH value, Fe3O4 content, H2O2 content and TCH concentration) for TCH degradation were investigated. The optimized system showed excellent degradation efficiency for TCH. Further, the degradation mechanism was comprehensively studied. Finally, synthesized MP hydrogels showed impressive reusability and stability in the cycle experiment. Thus, our findings would open new possibilities to develop magnetic hydrogels in eliminating antibiotic contaminants.