A Sustainable Approach in the Removal of Pharmaceuticals: The Effects of Operational Parameters in the Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline with MXene/ZnO Photocatalysts

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KARCIOĞLU KARAKAŞ Z., Dönmez Z.

Sustainability (Switzerland), cilt.17, sa.5, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 17 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3390/su17051904
  • Dergi Adı: Sustainability (Switzerland)
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, CAB Abstracts, Communication Abstracts, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Geobase, INSPEC, Metadex, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: MXene, photocatalysis, removal, sustainability, tetracycline, zinc oxide
  • Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a vital semiconductor that is widely used for a wide variety of purposes. It is known that this material has a wide bandgap, and this property makes it sensitive to UV radiation. This way, ZnO nanoparticles can be used as photocatalysts in various processes and exhibit excellent catalytic activity. This study aims to produce a new and effective catalyst by combining ZnO nanoparticles used as photocatalysts with MXene, a two-dimensional material. MXenes have a great potential in terms of environmental sustainability. MXenes offer a wide range of sustainable solutions, from energy storage to water treatment, carbon capture to environmentally friendly electronics. The studies carried out for this purpose were carried out in two stages. In the first part, the composite particle was synthesized. In the second part, the produced composite was used as a photocatalyst in the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline, an endocrine disruptor commonly encountered in wastewater. Optimum conditions were determined for operational parameters such as catalyst dosage, pollutant concentration, pH, irradiation time, light intensity, and temperature, which have the potential to affect the process efficiency significantly. The experiments conducted under optimum conditions determined that the organic pollutant in the solution was removed entirely.