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Pollution of waste and natural waters by antibiotics is a major health issue that induces the development of resistant pathogens. Pollutant may be removed by photocatalysis, yet classical photocatalysis is limited by the short carrier lifetime. Here, we review multicomponent photocatalysts for the synergic degradation of antibiotics. Components include metallic nanoparticles, semiconductors and adsorbents. The synergy of these components provide photocatalysts with advantages such as extended visible-light range with bandgap energy lower than 2.8 eV, improved charge transfer properties, enhanced adsorption capacity and more active reaction sites. The removal of the antibiotics, based on the decrease of the initial concentration, reaches 80–100%, but mineralization is rarely measured in reports. Proposed mechanisms for the photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics over single and multicomponent photocatalysts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano Fe-BTC/graphene oxide (GO) composites were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal treatment with a microwave-assisted method. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), N2 adsorption–desorption, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS). SEM image of Fe-BTC/GO-30 showed the particle size of 30–50 nm on the GO surface. From the UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra, it revealed that nano Fe-BTC/GO composite absorbed the wavelengths in the visible light region with a low bandgap energy of 2.2–2.45 eV. Fe-BTC/GO nanocomposites were tested for the photocatalytic degradation of reactive yellow 145 (RY-145) in aqueous solution. Fe-BTC/GO composites exhibited high photocatalytic activity. Thus, at pH of 3 and high initial concentration of 100 mg RY-145/L, removal efficiency reached the value of 98.18% after 60 min. of reaction. In comparison with Fe-BTC/GO synthesized by the solvothermal method, nano Fe-BTC/GO showed much higher RY-145 removal efficiency. Moreover, this Fe-BTC/GO-30 showed high catalytic activity stability and could be reused, opening the high potential application of this promising photo-Fenton catalyst in photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants from aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]