Xuet-Wei Woon0000-0001-5118-8144Sze Mun Lam0000-0002-1177-5894Jin Chung SinHonghu ZengHaixiang LiJianqiang Zhang2026-10-202026-10-202026-0510.1016/j.apsusc.2026.166172https://dspace-cris.utar.edu.my/handle/123456789/11796Decontamination of multiple persistent and refractory pollutants in surrounding environment have remained towering challenges to public health, which demands devising photocatalyst with balanced band gap and effective charge segregation. Herein, NiFe2O4 nanospheres anchored on petal-like Bi2WO6 (NFO/BWO) photocatalyst was engineered via a two-step hydrothermal route for photocatalytic antibiotic degradation and antibacterial trait. Comprehensive structural, optical and photoelectrochemical characterization tests divulged that NFO/BWO exhibited a low charge transfer resistance and an extended visible light absorption range. Under visible light, the NFO/BWO achieved 95.5 % chlortetracycline hydrochloride (CTH) degradation in 120 min (rate constant = 0.022 min?1) through redox pathways dominated by superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses proceeding through the disclosure of intermediate pathways, led to a pronounced reduction in toxicity. Additionally, a broad-spectrum of antibacterial activities (100 % growth inhibition of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as well as cytoplasmic integrity leakages) witnessed the strong bactericidal effect over NFO/BWO. The prominent outcomes were owing to the delicate design of S-scheme heterojunction with the aid in building an internal electrical field to boost charge carrier transport for unprecedented efficiencies in pollutant abatement and pathogen inactivation, affording an efficient and bifunctionalized photocatalyst for sustainable environment. © 2026 Elsevier B.V.en-USAntibacterialChlortetracycline hydrochlorideInternal electric fieldNiFe2O4/Bi2WO6PhotocatalyticAntibioticsBiodegradationBismuth compoundsCarrier transportCharge transferChlorine compoundsElectric fieldsEscherichia coliHeterojunctionsIron compoundsLight absorptionLiquid chromatographyNickel compoundsPhotocatalystsPhotodegradationPublic healthRate constantsTungsten compoundsAntibacterialsAntibiotic photodegradationBacterial inactivationEffective chargeHydrothermal routesInternal electric fieldsNife2O4/bi2WO6Photo-catalyticSurrounding environmentEnergy gapjournal-article