{
  "abstract": "The development of visible-light-driven photo-Fenton catalysts for the mineralization of recalcitrant organic pollutants remains a challenge in wastewater treatment. In this study, an S-scheme-type ZnFe2O4/ZnO/CuO@g-C3N4 (GLTO) heterojunction was prepared via topotactic transformation of a Zn–Cu–Fe layered triple hydroxide (LTH) precursor, followed by ultrasonic assembly with exfoliated g-C3N4. Structural and optical characterizations revealed intimate interfacial contact, a mesoporous architecture (mean pore diameter, 31.0 nm; specific surface area, 49.6 m2 g−1), and an optical band gap of 2.4 eV. The GLTO composite demonstrated visible-light photo-Fenton activity for the degradation of rhodamine B dye (RhB), achieving 93.5% dye removal and 65% total organic carbon (TOC) reduction within 28 min. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed progressive conversion to low-molecular-weight products, with the detected intermediates tentatively assigned. The apparent rate constant (0.0877 min−1) was ∼30-fold higher than that of bare LTO. The catalyst maintained >90% degradation efficiency at 10 mM NaCl and 72% degradation at 10 mg L−1 humic acid under the tested model water conditions, and retained >95% of its initial activity after five cycles. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and electron spin resonance spectroscopy supported enhanced charge separation and the involvement of reactive oxygen species, consistent with the proposed S-scheme mechanism. In this model, electrons are retained on g-C3N4, while holes are retained on the LTO component. ECOSAR modeling predicted a progressive reduction in the potential ecotoxicity of the detected intermediates. These findings demonstrate the potential of LTH-derived multimetal oxides coupled with g-C3N4 for the photo-Fenton treatment of organic pollutants under the tested model water conditions.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University P.O. Box 84428 Riyadh 11671 Saudi Arabia",
    "Department of Physics, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University P.O. Box 173 11942 Al-Kharj Saudi Arabia",
    "Chemistry Department, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) 11623 Riyadh Saudi Arabia",
    "Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University Cairo 11566 Egypt",
    "Department of Physics, College of Science, Qassim University P.O.Box 6644 Buraydah Almolaydah 51452 Saudi Arabia",
    "The Higher Institute for Optics Technology, Culture and Science City Cairo 17361 Egypt",
    "Department of Chemistry, College of Science in Yanbu, Taibah University Yanbu Governorate Saudi Arabia"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Fowzia S. Alamro"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Wafaa B. Elsharkawy"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Arafat Toghan",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1423-1147"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Ashraf A. Mohamed",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9377-2752"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Ayman M. Mostafa",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8522-1424"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Mohamed Farag",
      "orcid": "0009-0007-9509-1775"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Hoda A. Ahmed"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mohamed A. Ahmed",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8990-4601"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mahmoud A. Elsayed",
      "orcid": "0009-0002-4072-3599"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7fgr5jazfqyg0.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1039/d6ra06898g",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662861/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "7fgr5jazfqyg0",
  "issns": [
    "2046-2069"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662861",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Chemistry"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2105|Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221760401",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662861/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13662861",
  "pmid": "42877066",
  "published": "2026-10-14",
  "publisher": "Royal Society of Chemistry",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7fgr5jazfqyg0.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:20Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13662861",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662861"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-01T12:23:38Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13662861",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1039/d6ra06898g"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "heading:Chemistry",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "S-Scheme charge transfer in topotactically transformed LTO/g-C3N4 for photo-Fenton mineralization in complex water matrices",
  "title_text": "S-Scheme charge transfer in topotactically transformed LTO/g-C3N4 for photo-Fenton mineralization in complex water matrices",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-02T12:20:52Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7fgr5jazfqyg0",
  "venue": "RSC advances",
  "versions": []
}