Tetracycline Drug Degradation Using Binary Hybrid Advanced Oxidation Processes of Photocatalytic (UV/ TiO2 and UV/ZnO) in Aqueous Solutions

In this study, we examined the capacity of photocatalytic degradation catalyzed by TiO2 NPs and ZnO NPs to remove the tetracycline TC drug in different solution pHs (3–10). TiO2 NPs and ZnO NPs powders were prepared using the hydrothermal method and characterized via FESEM, TEM, TGA, and XRD. The effects of several method factors, such as weight of photocatalyst (0.1-0.4 g), concentration of TC drug (25-100 mg/L), different pH values (3-10), and irradiation time, on the removal of TC drug were studied. The photocatalytic degradation capacity of TC drug was fast in the present optimum condition (pH 10) and slower in (pH 3) of TiO2 NPs and ZnO NPs; the degradation capacity of the TC drug under UV light decreased with an increasing concentration of TC drug. The photocatalytic degradation capacity of TiO2 NPs is 81.33%, while the photocatalytic degradation capacity of ZnO NPs is 92.45 %. These data underline the use of effective, eco-friendly, easily available, and low-cost TiO2 NPs and ZnO NPs as photocatalysts for degrading TC drugs in aqueous solutions. Therefore, as shown by the results, the photocatalytic degradation of the TC drug using zinc oxide nanoparticles is greater than that using TiO2 nanoparticles.