Synthesis of ZIF-8 composite (g-C3N4@ZIF-8/Ag3PO4) as a catalyst for the malachite green and tetracycline degradation

Herein, ZIF-8 composite (g-C3N4@ZIF-8/Ag3PO4) was synthesized and used for the degradation of Malachite Green (MG) and tetracycline. The catalyst was characterized using XRD, SEM, DRS, FTIR, and TGA. The degradation rates of MG under various conditions to determine the optimal operating parameters for water treatment was investigated. The results demonstrated that the MG degradation fit well with a second-order kinetic model. ZIF-8 composite achieved an impressive 90 % degradation of MG (20 mg/L), outperforming g-C3N4@ZIF-8 and Ag3PO4, with the highest rate constant. As the initial concentration of MG increased to 80 mg/L, the rate of degradation exhibited a substantial reduction, while it increased with a higher dosage (0.004 g) of the catalyst and the best results were achieved in a natural pH environment. In addition, the g-C3N4@ZIF-8/Ag3PO4 composite had tetracycline degradation ability in wastewater.