Synergistic Adsorption/Photodegradation of Ciprofloxacin by UV light-driven Nanocomposite Photocatalyst of Cu doped AC/TiO2: Experimental design via RSM-CCD.

Abstract

Improving the adsorption ability of titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been considered as a promising strategy to promote its photodegradation of pollutant for the wastewater treatment. Hence, the statistical optimization by using central composite design-response surface methodology for the synthesizing of Cu doped AC/TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst via microwave-assisted sol-gel method was prepared, and then applied in adsorption/photodegradation for Ciprofloxacin (CFx) removal. From analysis of variance analysis, the findings show 95 % removal of CFx within 120 min in a batch system at the optimum preparation parameters of AC/TiO2 ratio = 0.50, Cu dosage = 0.32 g, irradiation power = 477 W, and irradiation time = 14 min. Kinetic studies displayed that the kinetic data was well described by Pseudo second-order models. Also, the isotherms data was well fitted by Langmuir model, with maximum adsorption capacity of 200 . Radical quenching test indicated that hydroxyl radical (•OH) was found to be the reactive radical that generally play the primary role in adsorption/photodegradation of CFx removal. The synergetic mechanisms of adsorption/photodegradation of CFx removal by Cu doped AC/TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst was mainly done by photogenerated electron-hole pair and hydroxyl radicals. The results of this study indicated that the prepared Cu doped AC/TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst is a high potential of sustainable photocatalyst for CFx removal in aqueous solution using adsorption/photodegradation under UV light irradiation.