ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Synergistic sonophotocatalytic degradation of Diazinon with cobalt ferrite on carbon nanotubes: investigation of toxicity, biodegradation, recovery, kinetics, and energy consumption

Farag M. A. Altalbawy, Mohadeseh Rezaei, Subbulakshmi Ganesan, S. Sunitha, Esraa Mahdi, Nezamaddin Mengelizadeh, Haniyeh Mirshekar, and Davoud Balarak

Department of Chemistry, University College of Duba, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

E-mail: dbalarak2@gmail.com

Received: 11 August 2025  Accepted: 16 October 2025

Abstract:

After synthesizing a novel catalyst based on loading CoFe₂O₄ (CF) on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CF/MWCNT_s), it was employed for the degradation of Diazinon (DZN) in a sonophotocatalytic system; in synthesizing the mentioned catalyst, solvothermal co-precipitation was utilized. The prepared catalyst was analyzed through the employment of FESEM, TEM, FTIR, XRD, EDX, VSM, and TGA. The findings of the conducted experiments were indicative of 100% DZN removal under optimal conditions of CF/MWCNT_s mass of 0.6 g/L, DZN level of 20 mg/L, pH of 5, UV intensity of 32 W, ultrasound intensity of 50 kHz, and time of 40 min. Conducting the experiments in the sonocatalytic and photocatalytic, sonophotocatalytic, adsorption, photolysis, and sonolysis systems was also considered to introduce the most effective system and evaluate the utility of the synthesized catalyst in the systems; these experiments were indicative of the superiority of sonophotocatalysis. In experiments related to catalyst recycling, a drop of 4.5% in removal efficiency was recognized after five degradation–regeneration cycles. Moreover, exposing the DZN solution (a non-biodegradable contaminant) to the target process was associated with an almost biodegradable compound. Our results were also representative of a high mineralization rate and low toxicity for the DZN solution by the utilized process. Our overall conclusion from utilizing the sonophotocatalytic process in the presence of CF/MWCNTs was its feasibility and cost-effectiveness in degrading DZN.

Graphical abstract

Keywords: CF/MWCNTs; Diazinon; Sonophotocatalytic; Toxicity assessment; Degradation mechanism

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04462-1

Chemical Papers 80 (2) 1447–1468 (2026)