Insight into photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin over CeO2/ZnO nanocomposites: Unravelling the synergy between the metal oxides and analysis of reaction pathways

• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150338
• Publication Date: 2021-06-11T15:35:19Z
• Authors: Lukasz Wolski; Kalina Grzelak; Malwina Muńko; Marcin Frankowski; Tomasz Grzyb; Grzegorz Nowaczyk
• Keywords: Piperazine; Physisorption

The aim of this study was to provide deep insight into photocatalytic degradation ciprofloxacin (CIP) over CeO2/ZnO nanocomposites. Catalysts used in work were synthesized by a simple co-precipitation method and fully characterized means XRD, nitrogen physisorption, TEM, UV–vis, PL XPS. Degradation CIP tracked UV–vis LC-MS techniques the mineralization efficiency determined TOC analyses. It documented that nanocomposites ca. twice more active than undoped ZnO 10 times pristine CeO2. improved activity resulted from formation Z-scheme heterojunction which photo-excited electrons conduction band migrate valence Photocatalytic found be surface reaction molecules adsorbed onto are directly oxidized photogenerated holes (h+). antibiotic proceeded through two parallel pathways: i) pathway I (dominant) piperazine moiety selectively h+, ii) II both fluoroquinolone moieties degraded. latter required participation h+ hydroxyl radicals (HO•).