Colored peat water containing high concentrations of humic substances poses a significant challenge for conventional water treatment processes. In this work, a magnetically recoverable Fe3O4/UiO-66 composite was synthesized from zircon sand processing residues and magnetic waste as precursors and evaluated as a photo-Fenton catalyst for humic acid degradation. Magnetite (Fe3O4) was prepared from magnetic residues, while UiO-66 was synthesized from zircon-derived precursors, followed by solvothermal fabrication of Fe3O4/UiO-66 composites with different mass ratios. Structural and morphological characterization using FTIR, XRD, and SEM confirmed the formation of a crystalline magnetite integrated with a porous UiO-66 framework, indicating a heterogeneous architecture favorable for catalytic applications. Photo-Fenton performance tests under UV irradiation demonstrated that the Fe3O4/UiO-66 composite with a 1:2 mass ratio exhibited the highest humic acid removal efficiency, reaching approximately 93.6%, outperforming pristine Fe3O4 and UiO-66. Optimization of hydrogen peroxide dosage revealed that volumes between 0.75-1.0 mL provided optimal radical generation without noticeable scavenging effects. Kinetic analysis indicated that the degradation process followed a pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that surface-mediated radical interactions governed the reaction. Overall, the results demonstrate the feasibility of converting zircon-processing residues into a functional and magnetically recoverable Fe3O4/UiO-66 catalyst for humic acid treatment.
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