ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds
For applications related to the photocatalytic degradation of environmental contaminants, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) must demonstrate not only a high photocatalytic potential, but also a low tendency to agglomeration, along with the ability to be easily collected after use. In this manuscript,...
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/10/3050 |
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| author | Mohammadreza Kamali Yongtao Xue Mohammadreza Khalaj Bodhi Laats Ruben Teunckens Matthias Verbist Maria Elisabete V. Costa Isabel Capela Lise Appels Raf Dewil |
| author_facet | Mohammadreza Kamali Yongtao Xue Mohammadreza Khalaj Bodhi Laats Ruben Teunckens Matthias Verbist Maria Elisabete V. Costa Isabel Capela Lise Appels Raf Dewil |
| author_sort | Mohammadreza Kamali |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | For applications related to the photocatalytic degradation of environmental contaminants, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) must demonstrate not only a high photocatalytic potential, but also a low tendency to agglomeration, along with the ability to be easily collected after use. In this manuscript, a two-step process was implemented for the synthesis of ZnO, ZnO/Bentonite and the magnetic ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite nanocomposite. The synthesized materials were characterized using various techniques, and their performance in the degradation of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs), including ciprofloxacin (CIP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and carbamazepine (CBZ) was evaluated under various operating conditions, namely the type and dosage of the applied materials, pH, concentration of pollutants, and their appearance form in the medium (i.e., as a single pollutant or as a mixture of PhACs). Among the materials studied, ZnO/Bentonite presented the best performance and resulted in the removal of ~95% of CIP (5 mg/L) in 30 min, at room temperature, near-neutral pH (6.5), ZnO/Bentonite dosage of 0.5 g/L, and under solar light irradiation. The composite also showed a high degree of efficiency for the simultaneous removal of CIP (~98%, 5 mg/L) and SMX (~97%, 5 mg/L) within 30 min, while a low degradation of ~5% was observed for CBZ (5 mg/L) in a mixture of the three PhACs. Furthermore, mechanistic studies using different types of scavengers revealed the formation of active oxidative species responsible for the degradation of CIP in the photocatalytic system studied with the contribution of h<sup>+</sup> (67%), OH (18%), and ·O<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup> (10%), and in which holes (h<sup>+</sup>) were found to be the dominant oxidative species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:20:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-06a4c63235bf45e080b357d96c27777c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:20:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-06a4c63235bf45e080b357d96c27777c2023-11-23T12:20:14ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492022-05-012710305010.3390/molecules27103050ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active CompoundsMohammadreza Kamali0Yongtao Xue1Mohammadreza Khalaj2Bodhi Laats3Ruben Teunckens4Matthias Verbist5Maria Elisabete V. Costa6Isabel Capela7Lise Appels8Raf Dewil9Process and Environmental Technology Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, J. De Nayerlaan, 5, 2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, BelgiumProcess and Environmental Technology Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, J. De Nayerlaan, 5, 2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, BelgiumDepartment of Environment and Planning, Center for Environmental and Marine Studies, CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalProcess and Environmental Technology Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, J. De Nayerlaan, 5, 2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, BelgiumProcess and Environmental Technology Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, J. De Nayerlaan, 5, 2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, BelgiumProcess and Environmental Technology Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, J. De Nayerlaan, 5, 2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, BelgiumDepartment of Materials and Ceramics Engineering, Aveiro Institute of Materials, CICECO, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Environment and Planning, Center for Environmental and Marine Studies, CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalProcess and Environmental Technology Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, J. De Nayerlaan, 5, 2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, BelgiumProcess and Environmental Technology Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, J. De Nayerlaan, 5, 2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, BelgiumFor applications related to the photocatalytic degradation of environmental contaminants, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) must demonstrate not only a high photocatalytic potential, but also a low tendency to agglomeration, along with the ability to be easily collected after use. In this manuscript, a two-step process was implemented for the synthesis of ZnO, ZnO/Bentonite and the magnetic ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite nanocomposite. The synthesized materials were characterized using various techniques, and their performance in the degradation of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs), including ciprofloxacin (CIP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and carbamazepine (CBZ) was evaluated under various operating conditions, namely the type and dosage of the applied materials, pH, concentration of pollutants, and their appearance form in the medium (i.e., as a single pollutant or as a mixture of PhACs). Among the materials studied, ZnO/Bentonite presented the best performance and resulted in the removal of ~95% of CIP (5 mg/L) in 30 min, at room temperature, near-neutral pH (6.5), ZnO/Bentonite dosage of 0.5 g/L, and under solar light irradiation. The composite also showed a high degree of efficiency for the simultaneous removal of CIP (~98%, 5 mg/L) and SMX (~97%, 5 mg/L) within 30 min, while a low degradation of ~5% was observed for CBZ (5 mg/L) in a mixture of the three PhACs. Furthermore, mechanistic studies using different types of scavengers revealed the formation of active oxidative species responsible for the degradation of CIP in the photocatalytic system studied with the contribution of h<sup>+</sup> (67%), OH (18%), and ·O<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup> (10%), and in which holes (h<sup>+</sup>) were found to be the dominant oxidative species.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/10/3050engineered photocatalytic nanomaterialssolar irradiationpharmaceutical active compoundsmechanistic studies |
| spellingShingle | Mohammadreza Kamali Yongtao Xue Mohammadreza Khalaj Bodhi Laats Ruben Teunckens Matthias Verbist Maria Elisabete V. Costa Isabel Capela Lise Appels Raf Dewil ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds Molecules engineered photocatalytic nanomaterials solar irradiation pharmaceutical active compounds mechanistic studies |
| title | ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds |
| title_full | ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds |
| title_fullStr | ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds |
| title_full_unstemmed | ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds |
| title_short | ZnO/γ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds |
| title_sort | zno γ fe sub 2 sub o sub 3 sub bentonite an efficient solar light active magnetic photocatalyst for the degradation of pharmaceutical active compounds |
| topic | engineered photocatalytic nanomaterials solar irradiation pharmaceutical active compounds mechanistic studies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/10/3050 |
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