Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Tetracycline Case
The challenges associated with the uncontrolled presence of antibiotics such as tetracycline in the environment have necessitated their removal through different techniques. Tetracycline is hard to degrade in living organisms and can even be converted to more toxic substances. In view of this, we sy...
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| author | Sunday Joseph Olusegun Gonzalo Larrea Magdalena Osial Krystyna Jackowska Pawel Krysinski |
| author_facet | Sunday Joseph Olusegun Gonzalo Larrea Magdalena Osial Krystyna Jackowska Pawel Krysinski |
| author_sort | Sunday Joseph Olusegun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The challenges associated with the uncontrolled presence of antibiotics such as tetracycline in the environment have necessitated their removal through different techniques. Tetracycline is hard to degrade in living organisms and can even be converted to more toxic substances. In view of this, we synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles with good magnetization (70 emu g<sup>−1</sup>) and 15 nm particle size for the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline. Characterization carried out on the synthesized iron oxides revealed a bandgap of 1.83 eV and an isoelectric point at pH 6.8. The results also showed that the pH of the solution does not directly influence the adsorption of tetracycline. The adsorption isotherm was consistent with the model proposed by Langmuir, having 97 mg g<sup>−1</sup> adsorption capacity. Combined with the superparamagnetic behavior, this capacity is advantageous for the magnetic extraction of tetracycline from wastewater. The mechanisms of adsorption were proposed to be hydrogen bonding and n-π interactions. Photocatalytic degradation studies showed that approximately 40% of tetracycline degraded within 60 min of irradiation time with UV/vis light. The kinetics of photodegradation of tetracycline followed the pseudo-first-order mechanism, proceeding through hydroxyl radicals generated under illumination. Moreover, the photogenerated hydrogen peroxide could lead to heterogeneous photo-Fenton processes on the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles, additionally generating hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals and facilitating photodegradation of tetracycline. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:40:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b347cb1dcd3c4ba8b144418c2317efe2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4344 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:40:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-b347cb1dcd3c4ba8b144418c2317efe22023-11-22T17:44:26ZengMDPI AGCatalysts2073-43442021-10-011110124310.3390/catal11101243Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Tetracycline CaseSunday Joseph Olusegun0Gonzalo Larrea1Magdalena Osial2Krystyna Jackowska3Pawel Krysinski4Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteur Street 1, 02-093 Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteur Street 1, 02-093 Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteur Street 1, 02-093 Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteur Street 1, 02-093 Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteur Street 1, 02-093 Warsaw, PolandThe challenges associated with the uncontrolled presence of antibiotics such as tetracycline in the environment have necessitated their removal through different techniques. Tetracycline is hard to degrade in living organisms and can even be converted to more toxic substances. In view of this, we synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles with good magnetization (70 emu g<sup>−1</sup>) and 15 nm particle size for the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline. Characterization carried out on the synthesized iron oxides revealed a bandgap of 1.83 eV and an isoelectric point at pH 6.8. The results also showed that the pH of the solution does not directly influence the adsorption of tetracycline. The adsorption isotherm was consistent with the model proposed by Langmuir, having 97 mg g<sup>−1</sup> adsorption capacity. Combined with the superparamagnetic behavior, this capacity is advantageous for the magnetic extraction of tetracycline from wastewater. The mechanisms of adsorption were proposed to be hydrogen bonding and n-π interactions. Photocatalytic degradation studies showed that approximately 40% of tetracycline degraded within 60 min of irradiation time with UV/vis light. The kinetics of photodegradation of tetracycline followed the pseudo-first-order mechanism, proceeding through hydroxyl radicals generated under illumination. Moreover, the photogenerated hydrogen peroxide could lead to heterogeneous photo-Fenton processes on the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles, additionally generating hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals and facilitating photodegradation of tetracycline.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/10/1243maghemitetetracyclineadsorptionphotocatalysismechanismeco-friendly water treatment |
| spellingShingle | Sunday Joseph Olusegun Gonzalo Larrea Magdalena Osial Krystyna Jackowska Pawel Krysinski Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Tetracycline Case Catalysts maghemite tetracycline adsorption photocatalysis mechanism eco-friendly water treatment |
| title | Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Tetracycline Case |
| title_full | Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Tetracycline Case |
| title_fullStr | Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Tetracycline Case |
| title_full_unstemmed | Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Tetracycline Case |
| title_short | Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics by Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Tetracycline Case |
| title_sort | photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics by superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles tetracycline case |
| topic | maghemite tetracycline adsorption photocatalysis mechanism eco-friendly water treatment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/10/1243 |
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