Photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen and codeine medicines using a novel zeolite-supported TiO2 and ZnO under UV and sunlight irradiation

Abstract

Pharmaceutical compounds are considered as emerging contaminants in the aquatic environments that are not easily eliminated by conventionaltreatmentprocesses.Inthepresentstudy,thephotocatalyticoxidationofacetaminophenandcodeinemedicinesunderUV andsolarirradiationwasinvestigatedintheaqueoussolutionsusinganovelsynthesizedzeolitefromstonecuttingsludgeasasupport for TiO2 and ZnO. The effect of photocatalyst synthesis conditions including catalyst dose, mixing time, calcination time, and temperatureontheefficiencyofthepharmaceuticalremovalwereoptimizedusingTaguchiprocessoptimizationmethod.Theprepared photocatalysts were characterized using X-ray diffractometer, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, theBETsurfacearea,andtheFouriertransformationinfrared.TheresultsindicatedthattheperformanceofZnO-zeolitefortheremoval of acetaminophen-codeine under UVand solar radiation with 58.7% and 45.7% was better than that of TiO2-zeolite with 44.3% and 39.2% efficiency,respectively. Removal efficiency under UVand solar radiation was comparable, suggesting that sunlight could be a promisingsource for treatment of contaminated water by acetaminophen and codeine using photocatalytic degradation. Regeneration of the prepared photocatalysts after 4 cycles revealed a slight decrease in their efficiency. Overall, photocatalytic degradation of the medicines in the water and wastewater using the ZnO-zeolite and TiO2-zeolite could be developed as an efficient treatment process.