Acetaminophen (APAP) is a well-known type of over-the-counter painkillers and is frequently found in surface waterbodies, causing hepatotoxicity and skin irritation. Due to its persistence and chronic effects on the environment, innovative solutions must be provided to decompose APAP, effectively. Innovative catalysts of tungsten-modified iron oxides (TF) were successfully developed via a combustion method and thoroughly characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, a porosimetry analysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy, VSM magnetometry, and EPR. With the synthesis method, tungsten was successfully incorporated into iron oxides to form ferrites and other magnetic iron oxides with a high porosity of 19.7 % and a large surface area of 29.5 m2/g. Also, their catalytic activities for APAP degradation by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) were evaluated under various conditions. Under optimal conditions, TF 2.0 showed the highest APAP degradation of 95 % removal with a catalyst loading of 2.0 g/L, initial APAP concentration of 5 mg/L, PMS of 6.5 mM, and pH 2.15 at room temperature. No inhibition by solution pHs, alkalinity, and humic acid was observed for APAP degradation in this study. The catalysts also showed chemical and mechanical stability, achieving 100 % degradation of 1 mg/L APAP during reusability tests with three consecutive experiments. These results show that TFs can effectively degrade persistent contaminants of emerging concern in water, offering an impactful contribution to wastewater treatment to protect human health and the ecosystem.

Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response U S Environmental Protection Agency 26 West Martin Luther King Drive Cincinnati OH 45268 USA

Department of Experimental Physics Faculty of Science Palacký University Olomouc 17 listopadu 1192 12 Olomouc 779 00 Czech Republic

Environmental Engineering and Science Program Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering University of Cincinnati Cincinnati OH 45221 USA

Ministry of Environment 229 Misagangbyeonhangang ro Hanam si Gyeonggi do 12902 Republic of Korea

Program in Environmental and Polymer Engineering Graduate School of INHA University 100 Inha ro Michuhol gu Incheon 22212 Republic of Korea

Program in Environmental and Polymer Engineering Graduate School of INHA University 100 Inha ro Michuhol gu Incheon 22212 Republic of Korea; Department of Environmental Engineering INHA University 100 Inha ro Michuhol gu Incheon 22212 Republic of Korea

Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute Palacký University Olomouc Šlechtitelů 241 27 Olomouc 783 71 Czech Republic

Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute Palacký University Olomouc Šlechtitelů 241 27 Olomouc 783 71 Czech Republic; Nanotechnology Centre CEET VŠB Technical University of Ostrava 17 listopadu 2172 15 708 00 Ostrava Poruba Czech Republic

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