abstract
In this study, CuO nanoparticles were synthesised by chemical precipitation assisted by ultrasonic irradiation (UI), a rapid and environmentally friendly procedure without high temperature that enhances the sustainability of the synthesis process. They were also employed as a catalyst to activate peroxydisulfate (PDS) in the removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP) from a polluted solution. The effects of various factors, such as CIP concentration, catalyst dosage, PDS concentration, and initial pH, on the efficiency of this contaminant treatment were investigated. Under optimal conditions, CIP and TOC removal reached 100% and 49%, respectively, after only 30 min of reaction time and using high initial concentrations of CIP (20 mg/L), PDS (0.5 mM), and CuO (0.5 g/L) in pH (10). For the best set of processing conditions, pseudo-first-order reaction rate kinetics can be assumed and characterised. The possible degradation pathway of CIP is also suggested. Furthermore, by quenching experiment, the presence of O2-*, *OH, and SO4-* were identified, with O2-* being a radical species with great impact on CIP removal. This study demonstrates that, in alkaline environments, ultrasonically synthesised CuO can effectively activate PDS for the degradation of CIP, achieving total removal within 30 min. The results indicate that UI-synthesised CuO is a very promising catalyst for the removal of emerging organic pollutants.
keywords
GREEN SYNTHESIS; PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION; EFFICIENT DEGRADATION; ACTIVATED PERSULFATE; RECYCLABLE CATALYST; METHYLENE-BLUE; NANOPARTICLES; PEROXYMONOSULFATE; PERFORMANCE; REMOVAL
subject category
Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Water Resources
authors
Khalaj, M; Costa, MEV; Deuermeier, J; Capela, I
our authors
Maria Elisabete Jorge Vieira Costa
Collaborator
Mohammadreza Khalaj
PhD StudentProjects
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)
Associated Laboratory CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (LA/P/0006/2020)
acknowledgements
This work is funded by national funds through FCT-Fundac & atilde;o para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia I.P.-under the project/grant UID/50006 + LA/P/0094/2020 (doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0094/2020). This work was also developed within the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020, and LA/P/0006/2020, financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). Thanks are also due to FCT for the doctoral scholarship no. SFRH/BD/140873/2018 and COVID/BD/152992/2022 for the first author. J.D. acknowledges national funds from FCT-Fundac & atilde;o para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, I.P., within CEECINST/00102/2018, LA/P/0037/2020, UIDP/50025/2020, and UIDB/50025/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute of Nanostructures, Nanomodelling, and Nanofabrication-i3N.