Multifunctional polymer-based nanocomposites for synergistic adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of mixed pollutants in water
Jiao Wang, Nadia Licciardello, Massimo Sgarzi, Gianaurelio Cuniberti
Abstract
) nanocomposites were used to remove a mixture of pollutants from water. Specifically, three types of experiments were performed to evaluate the adsorption capacity and photodegradation activity of the nanocomposites towards the dye basic fuchsin (BF) and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP), which were added sequentially to the nanocomposites dispersion or were concurrently present as a mixture. The results demonstrated that the nanocomposites could adsorb BF, and subsequently photodegrade CIP under visible-light irradiation, if BF was the first added pollutant. As well, the nanocomposites could first degrade CIP under visible-light irradiation, and then adsorb BF if they were initially put in contact with CIP. Finally, the ability of adsorbing BF and photodegrading CIP was confirmed in the co-presence of the two pollutants.