Z‑Scheme Heterojunction of Cu₂O/Ni-BiVO₄ for Tetracycline Degradation Under Visible-Light: Mechanism, Pathway, and Toxicity Evaluation.

ABSTRACT: Tetracycline (TTC), a commonly used antibiotic, has become an emerging contaminant in aquatic environments, posing chronic toxicity and ecological risks. To address this, we introduce a novel Ni-doped BiVO₄ (Ni-BVO) and Cu₂O/Ni-BiVO₄ (CNBVO) composites by doping nickel into bismuth vanadate (BVO) and subsequently decorating it with truncated octahedral Cu₂O nanoparticles. This combined strategy of doping and coupling for CNBVO aims to improve visible-light absorption, optimize the band gap, and enhance charge-separation efficiency. Their photocatalytic effectiveness was tested by decomposing TTC. Remarkably, the CNBVO photocatalyst achieved almost complete (98%) degradation of TTC within 180 min. This decomposition followed first-order reaction k

SUBMITTER: Shrestha S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12824929 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature