Shuttle-like CeO2/g-C3N4 composite combined with persulfate for the enhanced photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin under visible light

Wei Liu; Jiabin Zhou; Jun Yao

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.110062

Shuttle-like CeO₂/g-C₃N₄ composite combined with persulfate for the enhanced photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin under visible light

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2020 Mar 1:190:110062. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.110062. Epub 2019 Dec 12.

Authors

Wei Liu¹, Jiabin Zhou², Jun Yao³

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China.
² School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China. Electronic address: jbzhou@swpu.edu.cn.
³ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China.

PMID: 31838233
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.110062

Abstract

In this work, the shuttle-like CeO₂ modified g-C₃N₄ composite was synthesized and was combined with persulfate (PS) for the efficient photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin (NOR) under visible light. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra were used to characterize the structural and optical properties of the as-prepared catalysts. Active species trapping experiments demonstrated that additional sulfate radicals (·SO₄^-) formed upon the addition of PS which could cooperate with superoxide radicals (O₂^-), holes (h⁺) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) to decompose NOR. Singlet oxygen (¹O₂) was also formed during the reaction and acted as an important active species. The degradation products of NOR were also identified and analyzed by using LC-MS technology, and the possible degradation mechanism and pathways were proposed and discussed. This work indicated that the shuttle-like CeO₂ modified g-C₃N₄ coupled with PS displayed promising applications in the field of pharmaceutical wastewater purification.

Keywords: CeO(2); Norfloxacin degradation; Persulfate; Visible-light photocatalysis; g-C(3)N(4) nanosheets.

MeSH terms

Catalysis
Cerium / chemistry*
Graphite / chemistry*
Light
Nitrogen Compounds / chemistry*
Norfloxacin / metabolism*
Norfloxacin / radiation effects*
Photochemical Processes
Sulfates / chemistry
Wastewater
Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / radiation effects*
Water Purification / methods
X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

Nitrogen Compounds
Sulfates
Waste Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical
graphitic carbon nitride
sulfate radical
Cerium
ceric oxide
Graphite
Norfloxacin