Nanocomposites and nanomaterials

SilverNPs-doped TiO2 photocatalysts for degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants 

Skiba M.I.1, Vorobyova V.I.2
1 Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, 
Gagarinа ave. 8, Dnipro 49005, Ukraine
E-mail: Margaritaskiba88@gmail.com
2National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute", Peremohy ave. 37, Kyiv 03056, Ukraine

Antibiotics in wastewater represent a growing and worrying menace for environmental and human health fostering the spread of antimicrobial resistance. In this work, TiO2 nanoparticles were decorated with Ag nanoparticles by a facile plasma-chemical reduction method to obtain an increased photocatalytic response under UF and visible light. The prepared TiO2/AgNPs nanoparticles were characterized using TEM, SEM, XRD, and EDX techniques. It was examined the TiO2/AgNPs photocatalytic performance against two antibiotics from the same family. The obtained TiO2/AgNPs showed excellent photocatalytic degradation efficiency towards the two fluoroquinolone-based antibiotics. A mineralization study under optimum conditions showed ciprofloxacin (~82%) and norfloxacin (~84%) after 140 min-240 mim of Uf and visible light irradiation, demonstrating a possible application of these particles in wastewater treatment. The effects of the operational factors, such as doping content of Ag, photocatalyst dosage and calcination temperature were evaluated in the catalytic activity of Ag/TiO2. TiO2/AgNPs showed also antibacterial activity towards Escherichia coli (E. coli) opening the avenue for a possible use of this material in hospital wastewater treatment.