PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF AMOXICILLIN IN AQUEOUS MEDIA USING BIVO₄–MNZO UNDER UV AND VISIBLE LIGHT: EFFICIENCY, MECHANISM, AND BY-PRODUCT ANALYSIS

JAMAL MABROUKI

doi:10.30572/2018/KJE/170305

Authors

JAMAL MABROUKI Laboratory of Spectroscopy, Molecular Modeling, Materials, Nanomaterial, Water and Environment Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Avenue Ibn Battouta, BP1014, Agdal, Rabat, Morocco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30572/2018/KJE/170305

Keywords:

Antibiotic photodegradation, BiVO₄–MnZnO heterojunction, UV–visible photocatalysis, Oxidative degradation pathway, Emerging contaminants in water

Abstract

This article explores photocatalytic degrading that occurs in Amoxicillin (AMX) inside the aqueous medium using a BiVO4 MnZnO heterojunction catalyst in UV and visible. The catalyst, which was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis has shown an impressively higher photocatalytic efficiency in comparison to traditional catalysts. The improvement can be attributed to the synergistic effects that occurs between BiVO4 and MnZnO that allows for efficient charge separation as well as the reactive species, such as radicals hydroxyl. The system has demonstrated significant removal of AMX under both conditions of irradiation and has proven its effectiveness in practical applications in water treatment. Furthermore, (HPLC-MS) revealed the progressive breakdown of AMX into lower-molecular-weight by-products through oxidative degradation pathways. These findings support the use of BiVO4-MnZnO as a promising and sustainable photocatalyst for the remediation of antibiotic-contaminated waters

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