Enhanced degradation of metronidazole by heterogeneous sono-Fenton reaction coupled ultrasound using Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles

Abstract

Metronidazole (MNZ), one of the most commonly used nitroimidazole antibiotics in the world, poses a serious threat to human life and health. In this study, an enhanced sono-Fenton process for the degradation of MNZ is presented. The catalytic capacity of nano-FeO in systems comprising ultrasound + FeO + HO, and the influential parameters such as HO, nano-FeO doses and pH for the Sono-Fenton process, was investigated. The results showed that the nano-FeO particles appeared to be roughly spherical in shape, with an average size of 10-20 nm. It was found that •OH radicals were rapidly generated due to the catalytic activity of the nano-FeO. MNZ could be degraded within a wide pH range, from 3 to 9, and the degradation efficiencies were considerably enhanced by ultrasound. When the MNZ concentration was fixed at 20 mg/L, the nano-FeO dosage at 500 mg/L, the pH at 3 and the reaction temperature at 30°C, the removal efficiencies of MNZ were above 98% after 5 h. It is indicated that FeO magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized as heterogeneous catalysts to effectively degrade MNZ, and the observed stability and recyclability demonstrated that nano-FeO was promising for the treatment of wastewater contaminated with antibiotics.

Heterogeneous Advanced Oxidation Processes: Current Approaches for Wastewater Treatment

“…Hu et al [135] degraded metronidazole in wide pH ranges (3.0-9.0) using Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposites in the presence of ultrasonic radiation. Likewise, Abdili et al [136] used zero-valent iron nanoparticles for sulfacetamide removal, achieving 91% degradation after 60 min treatment.…”

Heterogeneous Sono-Fenton like catalytic degradation of metronidazole by Fe3O4@HZSM-5 magnetite nanocomposite

“…In addition, at high pHs, H 2 O 2 molecules decompose into oxygen and water. Consequently, because of reducing • OH amount, the removal efficiency is decreased [ 67 ].

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“…Hu et al (2011) conducted a study about metronidazole degradation by using Fe 3 O 4 magnetic nanoparticles and reported that the highest removal efficiency achieved at pH 3 and by increasing pH the degradation rate decreased rapidly [ 67 ].…”