Heterogeneous Photo-Fenton-like Degradation of Oxytetracycline Containing Wastewater

Abstract

Oxytetracycline (OTC) is a commonly used antibiotic. It can be absorbed to a limited extent by both humans and animals, so it can be detected at various levels in different water sources. Its presence in rivers or water and wastewater streams can pose serious problems for human and environmental health, and therefore, it needs to be treated. OTC degradation was studied using iron-doped g-C3N4 through a photo-Fenton-like oxidation process under simulated sunlight. In this study, the effects of key reaction parameters such as pH (3, 6, 9), catalyst amount (0-0.8 g/L), initial hydrogen peroxide concentration (HP, 0-20 mM) on the degradation of oxytetracycline were studied. The optimal reaction conditions for OTC degradation were found to be pH=6, catalyst amount of 0.4 g/L, and HP of 10 mM. Subsequently, the temperature effect was examined at the optimum reaction conditions. Based on the results, at 25, 35, and 45 °C, OTC degradation was found to be 51.1%, 60.8%, and 76.7%, respectively. The kinetic study conducted revealed that the observed reaction follows a second-order reaction kinetic model. In addition, the activation energy of observed reaction was found to be 86.96 kJ/mol.