Cu₂O@ZIF-8 hybrid for enhanced ciprofloxacin degradation

Antibiotic residues are emerging as a persistent and largely unaddressed threat to aquatic ecosystems and public health. Here we introduce a synergistic Cu₂O@ZIF-8 hybrid photocatalyst that overcomes key limitations of conventional systems by coupling efficient visible-light harvesting with rapid charge separation. The hybrid architecture enables 99.2% ciprofloxacin degradation within 60 min, while maintaining outstanding stability over repeated cycles. First-principles calculations reveal bandgap narrowing and electron-enriched active sites at the Cu₂O–ZIF-8 interface, driving enhanced charge mobility and reactive oxygen species generation. These findings establish MOF-based hybrid photocatalysts as a powerful platform for addressing pharmaceutical pollution and advancing sustainable water purification technologies.