Solar-driven photocatalytic removal of anti-microbial drugs – Comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalysts

The growing interest in the environmental contamination by antibiotics is observed due to their adverse effects on aquatic fauna, formation and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic-resistant genes. Heterogeneous photocatalysis has been found a promising method to remove these reca...

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Main Authors: Katarzyna Kowalska, Paulina Sowik, Wacław Bartolewski, Humam Ahmed, Ewa Felis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-01-01
Series:Desalination and Water Treatment
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398624003084
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author Katarzyna Kowalska
Paulina Sowik
Wacław Bartolewski
Humam Ahmed
Ewa Felis
author_facet Katarzyna Kowalska
Paulina Sowik
Wacław Bartolewski
Humam Ahmed
Ewa Felis
author_sort Katarzyna Kowalska
collection DOAJ
description The growing interest in the environmental contamination by antibiotics is observed due to their adverse effects on aquatic fauna, formation and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic-resistant genes. Heterogeneous photocatalysis has been found a promising method to remove these recalcitrant micropollutants from the broadly understood aquatic environment. The most efficient functional materials for photocatalytic applications are nano-sized semiconductor oxides. ZnO is recently mentioned to be an alternative to TiO2, a commonly used photocatalyst, for environmental applications, but there is still a lack of information on its operation efficiency, especially in more complex matrices. This study aimed to compare the efficiency of TiO2-P25 and ZnO in the removal of selected veterinary sulfonamides (SAs), namely: sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and sulfamethazine (SMT) from distilled water (DW), river water (RW), and municipal wastewater effluent (MWWE). TiO2-P25 has been found the most efficient photocatalyst to remove target SAs from DW, while in the case of RW and MWWE ZnO was more efficient in the degradation of studied antibiotics. The removal efficiency of the studied SAs decreased in the following order: SMT>SDZ>SMX. Doubling the photocatalysts concentration increased the efficiency of SAs degradation, but the final effect depends on the complexity of the matrix used.
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publishDate 2024-01-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Desalination and Water Treatment
spelling doaj-art-0570f7a4a7d9498495d01ae6ca7232f72025-08-20T02:17:28ZengElsevierDesalination and Water Treatment1944-39862024-01-0131710027510.1016/j.dwt.2024.100275Solar-driven photocatalytic removal of anti-microbial drugs – Comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalystsKatarzyna Kowalska0Paulina Sowik1Wacław Bartolewski2Humam Ahmed3Ewa Felis4Corresponding author.; Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, ul. Akademicka 2, 44–100 Gliwice, PolandSilesian University of Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, ul. Akademicka 2, 44–100 Gliwice, PolandSilesian University of Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, ul. Akademicka 2, 44–100 Gliwice, PolandSilesian University of Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, ul. Akademicka 2, 44–100 Gliwice, PolandSilesian University of Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, ul. Akademicka 2, 44–100 Gliwice, PolandThe growing interest in the environmental contamination by antibiotics is observed due to their adverse effects on aquatic fauna, formation and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic-resistant genes. Heterogeneous photocatalysis has been found a promising method to remove these recalcitrant micropollutants from the broadly understood aquatic environment. The most efficient functional materials for photocatalytic applications are nano-sized semiconductor oxides. ZnO is recently mentioned to be an alternative to TiO2, a commonly used photocatalyst, for environmental applications, but there is still a lack of information on its operation efficiency, especially in more complex matrices. This study aimed to compare the efficiency of TiO2-P25 and ZnO in the removal of selected veterinary sulfonamides (SAs), namely: sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and sulfamethazine (SMT) from distilled water (DW), river water (RW), and municipal wastewater effluent (MWWE). TiO2-P25 has been found the most efficient photocatalyst to remove target SAs from DW, while in the case of RW and MWWE ZnO was more efficient in the degradation of studied antibiotics. The removal efficiency of the studied SAs decreased in the following order: SMT>SDZ>SMX. Doubling the photocatalysts concentration increased the efficiency of SAs degradation, but the final effect depends on the complexity of the matrix used.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398624003084AntibioticsSolar-driven photocatalysisSulfonamidesWastewater Treatment
spellingShingle Katarzyna Kowalska
Paulina Sowik
Wacław Bartolewski
Humam Ahmed
Ewa Felis
Solar-driven photocatalytic removal of anti-microbial drugs – Comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalysts
Desalination and Water Treatment
Antibiotics
Solar-driven photocatalysis
Sulfonamides
Wastewater Treatment
title Solar-driven photocatalytic removal of anti-microbial drugs – Comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalysts
title_full Solar-driven photocatalytic removal of anti-microbial drugs – Comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalysts
title_fullStr Solar-driven photocatalytic removal of anti-microbial drugs – Comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalysts
title_full_unstemmed Solar-driven photocatalytic removal of anti-microbial drugs – Comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalysts
title_short Solar-driven photocatalytic removal of anti-microbial drugs – Comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalysts
title_sort solar driven photocatalytic removal of anti microbial drugs comparison of the efficiency of selected photocatalysts
topic Antibiotics
Solar-driven photocatalysis
Sulfonamides
Wastewater Treatment
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398624003084
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AT paulinasowik solardrivenphotocatalyticremovalofantimicrobialdrugscomparisonoftheefficiencyofselectedphotocatalysts
AT wacławbartolewski solardrivenphotocatalyticremovalofantimicrobialdrugscomparisonoftheefficiencyofselectedphotocatalysts
AT humamahmed solardrivenphotocatalyticremovalofantimicrobialdrugscomparisonoftheefficiencyofselectedphotocatalysts
AT ewafelis solardrivenphotocatalyticremovalofantimicrobialdrugscomparisonoftheefficiencyofselectedphotocatalysts