Removal of pharmaceutical pollutants from aquatic environments using heterogeneous photocatalysis

Hajiani, Mahmood; Gholami, Azam; Sayadi, Mohammad Hossein

doi:10.22104/aet.2022.5595.1523

Removal of pharmaceutical pollutants from aquatic environments using heterogeneous photocatalysis

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

10.22104/aet.2022.5595.1523

Abstract

Penicillin is one of the emerging pollutants that has toxic effects on food chains and aquatic environments. It creates many problems for human health and other living organisms. Conventional wastewater treatment methods cannot remove penicillin; therefore, modern approaches are necessary to remove it from sewage. In this study, we examined the ability of TiO₂ photocatalysis in the degradation of penicillin in aqueous solutions. The effects of different factors such as adsorption, pH, catalyst dosage, the initial concentration of penicillin, and time were examined. The results showed that photolysis and adsorption had negligible effects on penicillin degradation. The maximum degradation (94.5%) was observed at an ambient pH of 5, 0.1 g/l of TiO₂, and 20 mg/l of penicillin for 90 min. The photodegradation of penicillin followed a first-order kinetic reaction, and the rate constant (k) was 0.0213 min^-1. A TOC analysis was conducted to determine the fate of the pollutant. The results showed that 41% of the organic carbon was removed in 120 min. Based on the results, TiO₂ photocatalysis is an economically feasible procedure with good efficiency in removing penicillin from the aquatic environment.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Main Subjects

Advanced oxidation processes

References

[1] M. H. Sayadi, S. Sobhani, and H. Shekari. (2019). Photocatalytic degradation of azithromycin using GO@ Fe₃O₄/ZnO/SnO₂ nanocomposites. Journal of cleaner production. 232, 127-136.

[2] S. Fukahori and T. Fujiwara. (2015) Photocatalytic decomposition behavior and reaction pathway of sulfamethazine antibiotic using TiO₂. Journal of environmental management. 157, 103-110.

[3] N. Ahmadpour, M. H. Sayadi, V. Anoop, and B. Mansouri. (2019). Ultrasonic degradation of ibuprofen from the aqueous solution in the presence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles/hydrogen peroxide. Desalination and water treatment. 145, 291-299.

[4] Yazdi, M., Sayadi, M. H., Farsad, F. (2018). Removal of penicillin in aqueous solution using chlorella vulgaris and spirulina platensis from hospital wastewater, Desalination and water treatment, 123, 315-320.

[5] Dehghani, M., Nasseri, S., Ahmadi, M., Samaei, M. R., Anushiravani, A. (2014). Removal of penicillin G from aqueous phase by Fe⁺³-TiO₂/UV-A process. Journal of environmental health science and engineering, 12(1), 1-7.

[6] Hossain, M. M., Dean, J. (2008). Extraction of penicillin G from aqueous solutions: Analysis of reaction equilibrium and mass transfer. Separation and purification technology, 62(2), 437-443.

[7] Zhu, T. T., Su, Z. X., Lai, W. X., Zhang, Y. B., Liu, Y. W. (2021). Insights into the fate and removal of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes using biological wastewater treatment technology. Science of the total environment, 776, 145906.

[8] Akhil, D., Lakshmi, D., Senthil Kumar, P., Vo, D. V. N., Kartik, A. (2021). Occurrence and removal of antibiotics from industrial wastewater. Environmental chemistry letters, 19(2), 1477-1507.

[9] Daghrir, R., Drogui, P., Ka, I., El Khakani, M. A. (2012). Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of chlortetracycline using Ti/TiO₂ nanostructured electrodes deposited by means of a pulsed laser deposition process. Journal of hazardous materials, 199, 15-24.

[10] Kıdak, R., Doğan, Ş. (2018). Medium-high frequency ultrasound and ozone based advanced oxidation for amoxicillin removal in water. Ultrasonics sonochemistry, 40, 131-139.

[11] Davididou, K., Monteagudo, J. M., Chatzisymeon, E., Durán, A., Expósito, A. J. (2017). Degradation and mineralization of antipyrine by UV-A LED photo-Fenton reaction intensified by ferrioxalate with addition of persulfate. Separation and purification technology, 172, 227-235.

[12] Sayadi, M. H., Ahmadpour, N., Homaeigohar, S. (2021). Photocatalytic and antibacterial properties of Ag-CuFe₂O₄@ WO₃ magnetic nanocomposite. Nanomaterials, 11(2), 298.

[13] Loos, G., Scheers, T., Van Eyck, K., Van Schepdael, A., Adams, E., Van der Bruggen, B., Dewil, R. (2018). Electrochemical oxidation of key pharmaceuticals using a boron doped diamond electrode. Separation and purification technology, 195, 184-191.

[14] Ahmadpour, N., Sayadi, M. H., Sobhani, S., Hajiani, M. (2020). Photocatalytic degradation of model pharmaceutical pollutant by novel magnetic TiO₂@ ZnFe₂O₄/Pd nanocomposite with enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability under solar light irradiation. Journal of environmental management, 271, 110964.

[15] Kargar, F., Bemani, A., Sayadi, M. H., Ahmadpour, N. (2021). Synthesis of modified beta bismuth oxide by titanium oxide and highly efficient solar photocatalytic properties on hydroxychloroquine degradation and pathways. Journal of photochemistry and photobiology A: Chemistry, 419, 113453.

[16] Naddeo, V., Uyguner-Demirel, C. S., Prado, M., Cesaro, A., Belgiorno, V., Ballesteros, F. (2015). Enhanced ozonation of selected pharmaceutical compounds by sonolysis. Environmental technology, 36(15), 1876-1883.

[17] Salehnia, S., Barikbin, B., Khosravi, R. (2020). Removal of Penicillin G by Electro-fenton Process from Aqueous Solutions. Journal of research in environmental health, [online], 6(1), 23-33.

[18] Mohammadi, A. S., Sardar, M. (2013). The removal of penicillin G from aqueous solutions using chestnut shell modified with H₂SO₄: Isotherm and kinetic study. Iranian journal of health and environment, 5(4), 497-508.

[19] Gholami, A., Hajiani, M., Sayadi Anari, M. H. (2019). Investigation of photocatalytic degradation of clindamycin by TiO2. Journal of water and environmental nanotechnology, 4(2), 139-146.

[20] Kutuzova, A., Dontsova, T., Kwapinski, W. (2021). Application of TiO₂-Based photocatalysts to antibiotics degradation: cases of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and ciprofloxacin. Catalysts, 11(6), 728.

[21] Ali, I., Suhail, M., Alothman, Z. A., Alwarthan, A. (2018). Recent advances in syntheses, properties and applications of TiO₂ nanostructures. RSC advances, 8(53), 30125-30147.

[22] Ahmadpour, N., Sayadi, M. H., Sobhani, S., Hajiani, M. (2020). A potential natural solar light active photocatalyst using magnetic ZnFe₂O₄@ TiO₂/Cu nanocomposite as a high performance and recyclable platform for degradation of naproxen from aqueous solution. Journal of cleaner production, 268, 122023.

[23] Jallouli, N., Pastrana-Martínez, L. M., Ribeiro, A. R., Moreira, N. F., Faria, J. L., Hentati, O., Ksibi, M. (2018). Heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of ibuprofen in ultrapure water, municipal and pharmaceutical industry wastewaters using a TiO₂/UV-LED system. Chemical engineering journal, 334, 976-984.

[24] Ahmadpour, N., Sayadi, M. H., Homaeigohar, S. (2020). A hierarchical Ca/TiO₂/NH₂-MIL-125 nanocomposite photocatalyst for solar visible light induced photodegradation of organic dye pollutants in water. RSC advances, 10(50), 29808-29820.

[25] Koltsakidou, Α., Antonopoulou, M., Sykiotou, M., Εvgenidou, Ε., Konstantinou, I., Lambropoulou, D. A. (2017). Photo-Fenton and Fenton-like processes for the treatment of the antineoplastic drug 5-fluorouracil under simulated solar radiation. Environmental science and pollution research, 24(5), 4791-4800.

[26] Sayadi, M. H., Homaeigohar, S., Rezaei, A., Shekari, H. (2021). Bi/SnO₂/TiO₂-graphene nanocomposite photocatalyst for solar visible light–induced photodegradation of pentachlorophenol. Environmental science and pollution research, 28(12), 15236-15247.

[27] Nasiri, A., Tamaddon, F., Mosslemin, M. H., Amiri Gharaghani, M., Asadipour, A. (2019). Magnetic nano-biocomposite CuFe₂O₄@ methylcellulose (MC) prepared as a new nano-photocatalyst for degradation of ciprofloxacin from aqueous solution. Environmental health engineering and management journal, 6(1), 41-51.

[28] Al-Musawi, T. J., Rajiv, P., Mengelizadeh, N., Arghavan, F. S., Balarak, D. (2021). Photocatalytic efficiency of CuNiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles loaded on multi-walled carbon nanotubes as a novel photocatalyst for ampicillin degradation. Journal of molecular liquids, 337, 116470.

[29] Sayadi, M. H., Ghollasimood, S., Ahmadpour, N., Homaeigohar, S. (2022). Biosynthesis of the ZnO/SnO₂ nanoparticles and characterization of their photocatalytic potential for removal of organic water pollutants. Journal of photochemistry and photobiology A: chemistry, 425, 113662.

[30] Belhouchet, N., Hamdi, B., Chenchouni, H., Bessekhouad, Y. (2019). Photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotic using new calcite/titania nanocomposites. Journal of photochemistry and photobiology A: Chemistry, 372, 196-205.

[31] Rezaei-Vahidian, H., Zarei, A. R., Soleymani, A. R. (2017). Degradation of nitro-aromatic explosives using recyclable magnetic photocatalyst: catalyst synthesis and process optimization. Journal of hazardous materials, 325, 310-318.

[32] Rezaei, A., Rezaei, M. R., Sayadi, M. H. (2021). Enhanced 3, 5-dimethylphenol photodegradation via adsorption-photocatalysis synergy using FSTRG nanohybrid catalyst. Journal of molecular liquids, 335, 116546.

[33] Elmolla, E. S., Chaudhuri, M. (2010). Photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin, ampicillin and cloxacillin antibiotics in aqueous solution using UV/TiO₂ and UV/H₂O₂/TiO₂ photocatalysis. Desalination, 252(1-3), 46-52.

[34] Zhang, Y., Shao, Y., Gao, N., Gao, Y., Chu, W., Li, S., Xu, S. (2018). Kinetics and by-products formation of chloramphenicol (CAP) using chlorination and photocatalytic oxidation. Chemical engineering journal, 333, 85-91.

[35] Ye, S., Yan, M., Tan, X., Liang, J., Zeng, G., Wu, H., Wang, H. (2019). Facile assembled biochar-based nanocomposite with improved graphitization for efficient photocatalytic activity driven by visible light. Applied catalysis B: Environmental, 250, 78-88.