Ibuprofen (IBU), a common pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP), is a pervasive water pollutant with adverse ecological and human health effects after transformation and accumulation. In this study, we synthesized Fe, N-doped carbon quantum dots (Fe, N-CQDs) using pig blood and FeCl3 as a precursor via a one-step hydrothermal method. TEM, XRD, XPS, and UV–Vis were used to characterize the physical and chemical properties of Fe, N-CQDs. We investigated the feasibility of Fe, N-CQDs in activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for IBU degradation under visible light. The experimental results revealed that Fe in Fe, N-CQDs predominantly formed a stable complex through Fe–N and Fe-OH, with a high degree of graphitization and a sp2- hybridized graphitic phase conjugate structure. The Fe, N-CQDs/Light/PMS system exhibited strong activity, degrading over 87% of IBU, maintaining a wide pH range (3–10) adaptability. Notably, Fe, N-CQDs acted as visible-light catalysts, promoting Fe3+/ Fe2+ cycling and PMS activation, generating both free radicals ( SO4 •–, ·OH) and non-radicals (1O2, h+) to effectively degrade IBU. This study presents an innovative approach for the sustainable utilization of pig blood as a biomass precursor to synthesize Fe- and N-doped carbon materials. This study provides a new approach for the sustainable and value-added utilization of natural wastes and biomass precursors of Fe- and N-doped carbon materials, which can be used to treat pollutants in water while treating discarded pig blood.

Fe, N-doped carbon quantum dots from pig blood as peroxymonosulfate activator for photodegradation of ibuprofen
    Abstract
        Graphical abstract
    1 Introduction
    2 Materials and methods
        2.1 Chemicals and reagents
        2.2 Preparation of Fe, N-CQDs
        2.3 Characterizations
        2.4 Experimental procedures
        2.5 Analytical methods
    3 Results
        3.1 Morphology and structure
        3.2 Degradation  of IBU
        3.3 Catalytic mechanism
        3.4 Intermediates and degradation pathways
    4 Conclusion
    Acknowledgements 
    References

• Jinghong Chen(School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China)
• Huan Xie(School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China)
• Yuyin Lin(School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China)
• Zhenxing Tan(School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China)
• Mingchen Zheng(School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China)
• Lihua Zhou(School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China) Corresponding author
• Yong Yuan(Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China)