Tetracycline antibiotics are among the most recalcitrant micropollutants detected in aquatic environments, posing significant threats to public health due to their low biodegradability, promotion of antibiotic resistance, and endocrine-disrupting potential. In this study, γ-MnO2 and Cu-modified γ-MnO2 (Cu-γ-MnO2) nanostructures were successfully synthesized and evaluated as heterogeneous catalysts for the oxidative degradation of tetracycline in aqueous solution in the presence of H2O2. The synthesized materials were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). XRD confirmed the pure γ-MnO2 phase for both materials, with Cu incorporation causing no new crystalline phases but inducing a slight reduction in crystallite size. FE-SEM revealed a unique hedgehog-like morphology with needle-shaped nanocrystals assembled into spherical superstructures (17–36 nm), which was preserved upon Cu modification. Under optimized conditions (pH 4, 55°C, 20 mg catalyst, 1 mL of 30% H2O2, 20 min), Cu-γ-MnO2 achieved 98% tetracycline degradation, significantly outperforming unmodified γ-MnO2 (70%). The reaction followed NLLS biphasic kinetics (k₁ = 1.343 min−1 (R2 = 0.979). The Cu-γ-MnO2 catalyst demonstrated exceptional recyclability, retaining >80% activity after seven consecutive cycles, underscoring its practical feasibility for wastewater remediation applications.
Khorshidi, A. and Keramati, M. (2026). Catalytic Degradation of Tetracycline in Aqueous Solution Using Cu-Modified γ-MnO2 Nanostructures. Challenges in Nano and Micro Scale Science and Technology, 14(2), 45-56. doi: 10.22111/cnmst.2026.55742.1308
MLA
Khorshidi, A. , and Keramati, M. . "Catalytic Degradation of Tetracycline in Aqueous Solution Using Cu-Modified γ-MnO2 Nanostructures", Challenges in Nano and Micro Scale Science and Technology, 14, 2, 2026, 45-56. doi: 10.22111/cnmst.2026.55742.1308
HARVARD
Khorshidi, A., Keramati, M. (2026). 'Catalytic Degradation of Tetracycline in Aqueous Solution Using Cu-Modified γ-MnO2 Nanostructures', Challenges in Nano and Micro Scale Science and Technology, 14(2), pp. 45-56. doi: 10.22111/cnmst.2026.55742.1308
CHICAGO
A. Khorshidi and M. Keramati, "Catalytic Degradation of Tetracycline in Aqueous Solution Using Cu-Modified γ-MnO2 Nanostructures," Challenges in Nano and Micro Scale Science and Technology, 14 2 (2026): 45-56, doi: 10.22111/cnmst.2026.55742.1308
VANCOUVER
Khorshidi, A., Keramati, M. Catalytic Degradation of Tetracycline in Aqueous Solution Using Cu-Modified γ-MnO2 Nanostructures. Challenges in Nano and Micro Scale Science and Technology, 2026; 14(2): 45-56. doi: 10.22111/cnmst.2026.55742.1308
)