Abstract

Featured Application This study aims to turn tea waste into catalytic solutions for water remediation.Abstract Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, represent a significant threat to environmental and human health. In this context, the electro-Fenton (EF) process has emerged as a highly effective technique for the removal of such pollutants. This study investigates the innovative use of tea waste material (TWM) in combination with copper-iron nanoparticles (FeCuNPs) to degrade a mixture of CECs. A central aspect of this research is the sustainable reuse of organic waste material, such as TWM, to support catalytic nanoparticles. This approach not only utilizes a resource that would otherwise be discarded but also promotes sustainability in the treatment of contaminated water, aligning with the principles of the circular economy. The as-prepared FeCuNPs@TWM catalyst was fully characterized, and critical parameters influencing the pollutant removal were assessed, including adsorption capacity, catalyst load, and applied current. Under optimized conditions, the EF process, enhanced by FeCuNPs@TWM, achieved complete degradation of the contaminants within 15 min of the electrochemical process, and the activity remained after five catalytic cycles. Results demonstrate that using tea waste functionalized with FeCu nanoparticles as a catalyst not only improves the efficiency of the EF process but also offers an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative.