Abstract
In recent decades, the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and their discharge into the environment have caused serious consequences for aquatic and terrestrial organisms. In the present study, the optimization of cefixime antibiotic decomposition by a powerful catalytic ozonation process has been investigated. In this study, MgAl-LDH /zeolite nanocomposite was synthesized and use as an ozonation-adsorption catalyst for the degradation of Cefixime antibiotic from aqueous solution. XRD, FE-SEM, and FTIR analyzes were scrutinized to reveal the main characteristics of the as-prepared nanocomposite, showing that it was well-synthesized. The investigated variables in the catalytic ozonation of Cefixime by the mentioned nanocomposite included solution pH level (5–9), nanocatalyst dose (0.5–2.5 g/L), Cefixime concentration (5–25 mg/L) and reaction time (5–60 min) which they were optimized by adopting RSM-CCD. The results showred that all variables had a positive effect on the efficiency of the catalytic ozonation process. Nonetheless, the lowest effect of operational factor pH, the degradation of Cefixime was subjected to the initial content of Cefixime in this treatment system. The optimal conditions for cefixime removal by catalytic ozonation process were determined at pH of 7.72, nanocatalyst dosage of 1 g/L, cefixime concentration of 23 mg/L, and reaction time of 55 min. In the optimized operating conditions, the removal efficiency of Cefixime by MgAl-LDH /zeolite nanocomposite was high up to 98.37%.