PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Tetracycline (TCs) residues in wastewater present serious environmental and health risks, necessitating the development of efficient and sustainable remediation strategies. This study reports the green synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) derived from oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) through a one-pot hydrothermal process, offering an eco-friendly alternative for antibiotic degradation. The synthesised CDs were characterised by SEM-EDX, TEM, UV-DRS, FTIR, and XRD analyses, confirming their structural and optical properties. Photocatalytic experiments were conducted under various conditions, including different catalyst dosages (0.5-2.5 g/L), initial TCs concentrations (5-25 ppm), and light sources (solar, visible, and UV). The CDs achieved a maximum degradation efficiency of 50.14% at 1 g/L dosage and 5 ppm TCs concentration under UV light. Moreover, the CDs demonstrated good stability and reusability across multiple cycles. Mechanistic analysis suggests that photocatalytic degradation primarily involves the generation of hydroxyl (•OH) and superoxide (O₂•⁻) radicals. These findings highlight the potential of biomass-derived CDs as an efficient, sustainable, and reusable photocatalyst for antibiotic removal from wastewater.