Degradation and inactivation of tetracycline by TiO2 photocatalysis

To compare tetracycline abatement efficiency, tetracycline solutions were irradiated in aqueous suspensions of TiO2 with three different light sources: a UV lamp, a solarium device and a UV-A lamp. Negligible degradation was observed when irradiations were performed in absence of TiO2. In contrast, rapid tetracycline degradation was observed in the presence of 0.5 g l−1 of TiO2. Close to 50% of its initial concentration was eliminated after 10, 20 and 120 min when the irradiation source used was a UV lamp, a solarium device and a UV-A lamp, respectively. Significant mineralization was also obtained when the UV lamp and solarium were used for photocatalysis. The antibacterial activity of selected microorganisms was drastically inhibited when exposed to tetracycline solutions treated by the photocatalyst over short irradiation periods.