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The formation of symbionts by using different combinations of endophytic bacteria, microalgae, and fungi to purify antibiotics-containing wastewater is an effective and promising biomaterial technology. As it enhances the mixed antibiotics removal performance of the bio-system, this technology is currently extensively studied. Using exogenous supplementation of various low concentrations of the phytohormone strigolactone analogue GR24, the removal of various antibiotics from simulated wastewater was examined. The performances of Chlorella vulgaris monoculture, activated sludge–C. vulgaris–Clonostachys rosea, Bacillus licheniformis–C. vulgaris–C. rosea, and endophytic bacteria (S395-2)–C. vulgaris–C. rosea co-culture systems were systematically compared. Their removal capacities for tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline antibiotics from simulated wastewater were assessed. Chlorella vulgaris–endophytic bacteria–C. rosea co-cultures achieved the best performance under 0.25 mg L−1 antibiotics, which could be further enhanced by GR24 supplementation. This result demonstrates that the combination of endophytic bacteria with microalgae and fungi is superior to activated sludge–B. licheniformis–microalgae–fungi systems. Exogenous supplementation of GR24 is an effective strategy to improve the performance of antibiotics removal from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free water surface constructed wetlands (FWSCWs) for the treatment of various wastewater types have evolved significantly over the last few decades. With an increasing need and interest in FWSCWs applications worldwide due to their cost-effectiveness and other benefits, this paper reviews recent literature on FWSCWs' ability to remove different types of pollutants such as nutrients (i.e., TN, TP, NH4-N), heavy metals (i.e., Fe, Zn, and Ni), antibiotics (i.e., oxytetracycline, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, sulfamethazine, and ofloxacin), and pesticides (i.e., Atrazine, S-Metolachlor, imidacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, diuron 3,4-dichloroanilin, Simazine, and Atrazine) that may co-exist in wetland inflow, and discusses approaches for simulating hydraulic and pollutant removal processes. A bibliometric analysis of recent literature reveals that China has the highest number of publications, followed by the USA. The collected data show that FWSCWs can remove an average of 61.6%, 67.8%, 54.7%, and 72.85% of inflowing nutrients, heavy metals, antibiotics, and pesticides, respectively. Optimizing each pollutant removal process requires specific design parameters. Removing heavy metal requires the lowest hydraulic retention time (HRT) (average of 4.78 days), removing pesticides requires the lowest water depth (average of 0.34 m), and nutrient removal requires the largest system size. Vegetation, especially Typha spp. and Phragmites spp., play an important role in FWSCWs' system performance, making significant contributions to the removal process. Various modeling approaches (i.e., black-box and process-based) were comprehensively reviewed, revealing the need for including the internal process mechanisms related to the biological processes along with plants spp., that supported by a further research with field study validations. This work presents a state-of-the-art, systematic, and comparative discussion on the efficiency of FWSCWs in removing different pollutants, main design factors, the vegetation, and well-described models for performance prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, the removal effect of a new MOF-on MOF adsorbent based on Cu–Co bimetallic organic frameworks on tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) in water system was studied. The adsorbent (Cu-MOF@Co-MOF) were synthesized by solvothermal and self-assembly method at different concentrations of Co2+/Cu2+. The characterization results of SEM, XRD, XPS, FTIR and BET indicated that the MOF-on MOF structure of Cu-MOF@Co-MOF exhibited the best recombination and physicochemical properties when the molar ratio of Co2+: Cu2+ is 5:1. In addition, the Cu-MOF@Co-MOF have a high specific surface area and bimetallic clusters, which can achieve multi-target synergistic adsorption of TCs. Based on above advantages, Cu-MOF@Co-MOF provided a strong affinity and could efficiently adsorb more than 80% of pollutants in just 5 to 15 min using only 10 mg of the adsorbent. The adsorption capacity of tetracycline and doxycycline was 434.78 and 476.19 mg/g, respectively, showing satisfactory adsorption performance. The fitting results of the experimental data were more consistent with the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating that the adsorption process of TC and DOX occurred at the homogeneous adsorption site and was mainly controlled by chemisorption. Thermodynamic experiments showed that Cu-MOF@Co-MOF was thermodynamically advantageous for the removal of TCs, and the whole process was spontaneous. The excellent adsorption capacity and rapid adsorption kinetics indicate the prepared MOF-on MOF adsorbent can adsorb TCs economically and quickly, and have satisfactory application prospects for removing TCs in practical environments. The results of the study pave a new way for preparing novel MOFs-based water treatment materials with great potential for efficient removal.

Abstract The formation of symbionts by using different combinations of endophytic bacteria, microalgae, and fungi to purify antibiotics-containing wastewater is an effective and promising biomaterial technology. As it enhances the mixed antibiotics removal performance of the bio-system, this technology is currently extensively studied. Using exogenous supplementation of various low concentrations of the phytohormone strigolactone analogue GR24, the removal of various antibiotics from simulated wastewater was examined. The performances of Chlorella vulgaris monoculture, activated sludge–C. vulgaris–Clonostachys rosea, Bacillus licheniformis–C. vulgaris–C. rosea, and endophytic bacteria (S395-2)–C. vulgaris–C. rosea co-culture systems were systematically compared. Their removal capacities for tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline antibiotics from simulated wastewater were assessed. Chlorella vulgaris–endophytic bacteria–C. rosea co-cultures achieved the best performance under 0.25 mg L−1 antibiotics, which could be further enhanced by GR24 supplementation. This result demonstrates that the combination of endophytic bacteria with microalgae and fungi is superior to activated sludge–B. licheniformis–microalgae–fungi systems. Exogenous supplementation of GR24 is an effective strategy to improve the performance of antibiotics removal from wastewater.

In this study, eggshells were upgraded to two active adsorbents, iron (Fe)-magnesium (Mg) particles and hydroxyapatite (HAP), and their subsequent utilization for the elimination of tetracycline (TET) and metronidazole (MNZ) from aqueous systems was explored. As a first step, the strength of the functionalization solution (0.5 M) and synthesis temperature (600°C) were optimized for the improved performance of the Fe-Mg particles. Through batch experiments, the maximum TET and MNZ adsorption capacities (qm) were estimated as 9.47 and 6.29 mg/g, respectively, for the Fe-Mg particles. In the case of HAP, the qm were 8.70 and 6.07 mg/g for TET and MNZ, respectively. Monolayer and chemisorption phenomena were identified as the mechanisms for TET's removal with both Fe-Mg particles and HAP. By contrast, monolayer and physisorption were responsible for MNZ's removal with both adsorbents. In a binary system, i.e., in the presence of both TET and MNZ, the antagonistic effect was observed, which hindered the efficient removal of one by the other. The van der Waals force was involved in MNZ adsorption, whereas the interaction between the hydrogen (H) atoms of the phenolic diketone group(s) of TET and the anions of Fe-Mg particles/HAP favored TET's removal. In the recyclability study, both adsorbents performed well for the first 20 cycles, but thereafter the removal efficiency reduced drastically. Overall, eggshell waste can be managed effectively by converting it into adsorbents, which can be a viable alternative for adsorption-based water/wastewater treatment. Practical Applications: The release of emerging contaminants from conventional wastewater treatment plants has been a major environmental concern in recent years. Consequently, these contaminants find their way into environmental matrices, affecting organisms at various scales by disrupting their metabolic activities. Advanced treatment techniques like ozonation, sonocatalysis, photocatalysis, adsorption, electrochemical oxidation, and Fenton processes are effective in the removal of emerging contaminants. Specifically, the current focus is on adsorption, which is scalable and cost-effective. Moreover, the use of naturally derived adsorbents promotes sustainability of the process. However, the applicability of these adsorbents varies depending on their availability and ease of synthesis. In this context, eggshells from confectionary and poultry processing industries can be a suitable alternative for synthesizing naturally derived adsorbents. This study successfully evaluated eggshell-based adsorbent synthesized utilizing the holistic components of eggshells (Fe-Mg particles derived from the inner parietal membrane and hydroxyapatite synthesized from the hard calcareous shell) for the removal of commonly used pharmaceutical compounds (i.e., tetracycline and metronidazole as single and binary systems). The possible removal mechanism, recyclability, and cost calculations are presented and the major gap of competitive adsorption mimicking real-time wastewater was also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium percarbonate (SPC) is recently developed as the most promising alternative for liquid H2O2 on the sewage treatment, because of its excellent explosion-resistance, high stability and safety. Herein, we first designed and synthesized a series of Mo-based/carbon nanocomposites (MoCNs) with core–shell and nanorod structures, derived from metal organic frameworks, for activating percarbonate in the efficient removal of tetracycline. The detailed characterizations confirmed MoCN-600 (a mixture of MoO3, MoC and MoO2) exhibited a nanorod structure with outer Zn and Co co-doped carbon layer. MoCN-600/SPC system exhibited a strong anti-interference ability for common anions and organic matter in TC degradation. Quenching tests and EPR results demonstrated that ·CO3− was the dominating reactive oxygen species in MoCN-600/SPC system. Compared with H2O2, MoCN-600/SPC system presented the excellent catalytic performance in TC degradation at a wider pH range. This work not only provides an efficient method for the synthesis of Mo-based heterogeneous catalysts, but also offers an excellent catalytic system for antibiotics removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the effectiveness of iron-modified biochar (Fe-BC) in fixed-bed heterogeneous Fenton processes for levofloxacin (LFX) removal, a widely-used fluoroquinolone antibiotic. The objective is to optimize parameters such as pH, oxidants (H2O2 and S2O82−), and biochar forms (functionalized and raw) using factorial analysis of mixed data (FAMD) and response surface methodology (RSM). These optimizations identified the ideal conditions for maximal LFX removal. The most effective removal with Fe-BC occurred at 2.5 mM H2O2 and pH 7.5, while the optimal S2O82− conditions were 1.6 mM at pH 2.8. Both Fe-BC and raw biochar (RBC) showed the highest adsorption at pH 5.8. In adsorption-only, RBC and Fe-BC reduced LFX to 530 μg/L and 335 μg/L, respectively, in 60 min. The oxidation process further decreased LFX levels to between 8.9 μg/L and 0.1 μg/L using S2O82− and H2O2, respectively. The research expanded upon a kinetic model, incorporating the calculation of kinetic constants for both adsorption and oxidation processes, to deepen our understanding of the intricate degradation dynamics at play. Identifying by-products was crucial in elucidating degradation pathways. These findings are vital for environmental remediation, demonstrating the efficiency of Fe-BC in removing harmful antibiotics from water. This research highlights the potential of modified biochar in environmental clean-up, especially for water contaminated with antibiotics. The results emphasize the importance of optimizing treatment conditions for effective antibiotic removal, contributing valuable insights to the field of environmental remediation.

In line with the development of industrial society, wastewater has caused multiple environmental problems. Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water and wastewater are persistent, and for this reason they can cause serious problems for human health, animal health, and the whole environment. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to apply efficient methods for the treatment of wastewater that has a high concentration of organic compounds. Over recent years, the prescribed and non-prescribed consumption of antibiotics has increased significantly worldwide. Large quantities of antibiotics are discharged into wastewater because of their incomplete absorption by living organisms. However, even small concentrations present in aquatic environments represent a major risk to human health and environment protection. This paper presents the main advantages and disadvantages of advanced oxidation processes, and the current state and new perspectives in the field of environment protection. This study summarizes data from the most recent specialized scientific literature that focuses on the topic of advanced oxidation processes, thus bringing all these aspects to the attention of researchers in a single work that adds comments and interpretations related to the presented processes. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are often used in the treatment of different types of wastewater. AOPs are based on physicochemical processes that create significant structural changes in chemical species. The majority of antibiotics may be eliminated using physicochemical processes, such as photo-Fenton oxidation, photolysis, ozonation, electrooxidation, heterogeneous catalysis, and other bioprocesses. In comparison to conventional chemical processes, AOPs provide superior oxidation efficiency, ideal operating costs, and zero secondary pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of antibiotics from wastewater is receiving considerable attention to fulfill water quality parameters required for reuse. This study compares a spinning submerged filter adsorber with a fixed bed adsorber for continuous antibiotic removal. Adsorbers were evaluated with micro granular activated carbon (μGAC: 508 μm), coarse powder activated carbon (cPAC: 197 μm), powder activated carbon (PAC: 77 μm), and a domestic wastewater effluent spiked with a mixture of amoxicillin, sulfamethoxazole, and levofloxacin with concentrations ranging from 10 to 50 mg/L. The fixed bed adsorber packed with cPAC was the most efficient adsorber running with wastewater spiked with 50 mg/L of each antibiotic and an empty bed contact time (EBCT) of 4.5 min. The spinning submerged filter adsorber configuration also provided high removal effectiveness using a 15 g/L concentration of PAC but with a lower hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 40 min. This adsorption unit can be filled with small PAC particles, unlike packed beds, and PAC concentrations can be increased up to 150 g/L if necessary. It combines adsorption and filtration with a completely mixed mode of operation in which the PAC concentration can be adapted to effluent micropollutant concentrations, making it an interesting alternative for adsorption processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the CuFe2O4 on rGO/halloysite material was made in an uncomplicated manner. The catalyst has a sandwich-like shape with a uniform coating of the active phase on the rGO sheets and halloysite tubes. The catalyst's large specific surface area (130 m2/g) and small band gap energy (1.9 eV) allow it to adsorb photons and photocatalyze organic contaminants effectively. In approximately 1 h of light, the catalyst showed high performance in achieving almost complete conversion in photodegrading CIP for an initial CIP concentration of 20 ppm. A pseudo-first-order rate law was followed by the process, as revealed by the experimental results. In addition, the pH effect and the contribution of intermediate reactive radicals that emerged during the photochemical process were explored. The results indicated that hydroxyl radicals and holes had a major impact on CIP decomposition, suggesting that the addition of these radicals could enhance CIP degradation efficiency at a larger scale. This study also confirmed the superiority of catalysis and photochemical processes in environmental treatments by the neutral pH values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXenes, a new family of two-dimensional transition metal carbides or nitrides, have attracted tremendous attention for various applications due to their unique properties such as good electrical conductivity, hydrophilicity, and ion intercalability. In this work, Ti 3 C 2 MXene, or MX, is converted to MX-TiO 2 composites using a simple and rapid microwave hydrothermal treatment in HCl/NaCl mixture solution that induces formation of fine TiO 2 particles on the MX parent structure and imparts photocatalytic activity to the resulting MX-TiO 2 composites. The composites were used for enrofloxacin (ENR), a frequently found contaminating antibiotic, removal from water. The relative amount of the MX and TiO 2 can be controlled by controlling the hydrothermal temperature resulting in composites with tunable adsorption/photocatalytic properties. NaCl addition was found to play important role as composites synthesized without NaCl could not adsorb enrofloxacin well. Adding NaCl into the hydrothermal treatment causes sodium ions to be simultaneously intercalated into the composite structure, improving ENR adsorption greatly from 1 to 6 mg ENR/g composite. It also slows down the MX to TiO 2 conversion leading to a smaller and more uniform distribution of TiO 2 particles on the structure. MX-TiO 2 /NaCl composites, which have sodium intercalated in their structures, showed both higher ENR adsorption and photocatalytic activity than composites without NaCl despite the latter having higher TiO 2 content. Adsorbed ENR on the composites can be efficiently degraded by free radicals generated from the photoexcited TiO 2 particles, leading to high photocatalytic degradation efficiency. This demonstrates the synergetic effect between adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of the synthesized compounds. [Display omitted]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A packed-bed anaerobic-aerobic reactor (PBAOR) with two anaerobic and two aerobic compartments was constructed to treat manure-free piggery wastewater which was characterized by high ammonium (NH4+-N) and low ratio of chemical oxygen demand (COD) to total nitrogen (TN). Performed for 60 days at the normal atmospheric temperature of 25 °C with a constant hydraulic retention time of 32 h and reflux ratio of 2.0, a stable state in pollutants removal was obtained in the PBAOR. Within the next routine operation process, the removal of COD, NH4+-N and TN was above 85.7%, 98.2% and 85.8%, with a residual less than 81.7, 7.2 and 39.9 mg L−1 in effluent, respectively. Twelve veterinary antibiotics classified into tetracyclines (TCs), sulphonamides (SAs) and fluoroquinolones (FQs) were detected from the piggery wastewater. The PBAOR was effective in removing TCs and SAs with an average removal of 74.8% and 93.3%, respectively, but presented a negative removal for FQs. Most COD in the piggery wastewater was mainly removed in the first two anaerobic compartments along with an obvious removal of TCs and SAs, while the TN were mainly removed in the last two aerobic compartments with the negative removal of FQs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly efficient and cost-effective adsorbents for antibiotic removal are the key to mitigate pollution by industrial wastewaters. Pyrolyzing low-cost winemaking waste into biochar is a promising means for waste biomass utilization. This study assembled vinasse-derived biochar with manganese ferrite into vinasse-manganese ferrite biochar-magnetic composites (V-MFB-MCs) through simultaneous pyrolysis of waste biomass and metal (Mn and Fe) hydroxide precipitates. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the kinetics and isotherms of tetracycline (TC) adsorption as well as the influence of pH value, humic acid, and ionic strength. Morphological characterization showed that crystalline MnFe2O4 nanoparticles were impregnated within the framework of fabricated V-MFB-MCs. Superior TC adsorption capacity and fast pseudo-second-order kinetics could be achieved by the V-MFB-MCs-800 at pH 3.0. The TC adsorption onto V-MFB-MCs-800 was highly pH-dependent and controlled by the positive influence of ionic strength and humic acid. V-MFB-MCs-800 showed excellent adsorption performance in different natural water. Multiple interaction mechanisms including pore filling effect, π-π stacking interaction, and hydrogen bonding contribute to TC removal by V-MFB-MCs-800, which can be an innovative biowaste-derived material for industrial wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) represent an emerging class of contaminants. With a potential to negatively impact human health and the ecosystem, existence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic systems is becoming a worrying concern. Antibiotics is a major class of PhACs and their existence in wastewater signifies a health risk on the long run. With the purpose of competently removing antibiotics from wastewater, cost-effective, and copiously available waste-derived adsorbents were structured. In this study, mango seeds kernel (MSK), both as a pristine biochar (Py–MSK) and as a nano-ceria-laden (Ce–Py–MSK) were applied for the remediation of rifampicin (RIFM) and tigecycline (TIGC). To save time and resources, adsorption experiments were managed using a multivariate-based scheme executing the fractional factorial design (FrFD). Percentage removal (%R) of both antibiotics was exploited in terms of four variables: pH, adsorbent dosage, initial drug concentration, and contact time. Preliminary experiments showed that Ce–Py–MSK has higher adsorption efficiency for both RIFM and TIGC compared to Py–MSK. The %R was 92.36% for RIFM compared to 90.13% for TIGC. With the purpose of comprehending the adsorption process, structural elucidation of both sorbents was performed using FT-IR, SEM, TEM, EDX, and XRD analyses which confirmed the decoration of the adsorbent surface with the nano-ceria. BET analysis revealed that Ce–Py–MSK has a higher surface area (33.83 m2/g) contrasted to the Py–MSK (24.72 m2/g). Isotherm parameters revealed that Freundlich model best fit Ce–Py–MSK–drug interactions. A maximum adsorption capacity (qm) of 102.25 and 49.28 mg/g was attained for RIFM and TIGC, respectively. Adsorption kinetics for both drugs conformed well with both pseudo-second order (PSO) and Elovich models. This study, therefore, has established the suitability of Ce–Py–MSK as a green, sustainable, cost-effective, selective, and efficient adsorbent for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater.

The present work, for the first time, establishes degradation behavior of ciprofloxacin (CIP), a widely used fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics, using vortex flow based hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) for low to high concentrations of CIP (10 and 100 mg/L). Effect of pressure on the degradation of CIP and TOC reduction was investigated on pilot plant scale (capacity 1 m3/h). Process intensifications using aeration as well as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) were also investigated. While aeration did not yield any significant enhancement, process intensification using H 2 O 2 resulted in ∼ 200% enhancement in the CIP degradation as compared to HC alone. Excellent degradations, to an extent of 79 & 95%, were achieved corresponding to high cavitational yields of 7.2 × 10−4 mg/J and 86.8 × 10−4 mg/J for CIP concentrations of 10 and 100 mg/L respectively using the process intensified approach of HC and H 2 O 2 , not reported so far for cavitating devices without moving elements. The developed methodology demonstrated 4–7 times improvement in per-pass degradation and low cost with high efficiency compared to the conventional cavitation. The results clearly highlight utility of the process intensified approach using H 2 O 2 for the degradation of CIP even at high concentrations, specifically important for pharmaceutical industries requiring zero liquid discharge norms. [Display omitted] • Intensified Hydrodynamic cavitation for degradation of ciprofloxacin at high concentrations. • Ciprofloxacin degradation by vortex flow based cavitation device with high cavitational yield. • Process intensifications in hydrodynamic cavitation using H 2 O 2 and aeration. • A very high enhancement in degradation, more than 200% compared to only HC. • Excellent degradation efficiency of 95%, low cost implies application to removal of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microscale Fe/Ni bimetallic particle was examined to convert O2 to H2O2 and further to •OH radicals and to degrade metronidazole (MNZ) antibiotic in a heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction. The properties of the bimetallic particle before and after the reaction were studied using SEM, EDX, XRD, and BET techniques. The complete removal of MNZ was achieved within 15 min with an initial pH of 3, oxygen flow rate of 150 L/h, Fe/Ni of 1 g/L, and MNZ of 25 mg/L. Under these conditions, the maximum H2O2 concentration of about 31 mg/L was generated but only 27% of TOC was removed after 60 min. The presence of NaCl and the high ionic strength accelerated the iron dissolution and MNZ removal efficiency. The reaction was mainly inhibited at the solution pH of 7, implying the significance of solution pH in Fenton-like process. Besides, the possible MNZ degradation pathway was further proposed based on the intermediates identified by GC/MS. Acetamide was monitored as the degradation intermediate. The results showed a significant contribution on the usage of a catalyst for in-situ generation of H2O2 via the activation of dissolved oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a magnetic solid-phase extraction method was developed based on multi-wall carbon nanotubes decorated by magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) and cadmium sulfide nanoparticles (Fe3O4@MWCNT-CdS) for trace extraction of cefixime and tetracycline antibiotics from urine and drug company wastewater. The adsorbent features were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Various effective parameters on the sorption and desorption cycle, such as sorption time, the mass of adsorbent, pH, salt addition, and material ratio, were investigated and optimized. The data were evaluated using isotherm models, and experimental data were well-fitted to both Langmuir (R2 = 0.975) and Freundlich (R2 = 0.985) models. Moreover, kinetic of reaction was agreement with pseudo-second-order (R2 = 0.999) as compared pseudo-first-order (R2 = 0.760). The maximum adsorption capacity for tetracycline and cefixime was achieved at 116.27 and 105.26 mg·g−1, respectively. Hence, the prepared adsorbent can be used as an alternative material for enhanced determination of pharmaceutical substances in biological fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solid-state laser ablation has been proposed to achieve the growth of arbitrary metal oxide films with different sizes and patterns on the inner surface of quartz tubes to effectively remove organic contaminants from the aqueous environment. This could serve as a versatile and economical method for producing immobilized catalysts for various use. [Display omitted] • Solid pulse laser ablation was firstly adopted to grow arbitrary metal oxide film on the inner surface of quartz tube. • The photocatalytic degradation efficiencies on OTC can reach to ∼ 95 % in the natural sunlight. • The catalysts exhibit good stability that ∼ 90 % of the initial catalytic performances could be retained after 100 cycles reuse. • The degradation pathway and photocatalytic mechanism was systematically investigated under different scenarios. • Hetero-junction and surface defects facilitate the charge separation, surface adsorption and radical formation. A solid-state pulsed laser technique was developed to in situ grow arbitrary immobilized catalysts (Fe 3 O 4 , CeO 2 , WO 3 etc.) on the inner surface of quartz tube with robust adhering strength. In a case study, anatase/rutile hetero-phase TiO 2 film was deposited to serve as immobilized photocatalysts for the effective removal of antibiotics from aqueous environment. The X-ray absorption spectroscopy, low temperature electron paramagnetic resonance and the density functional theory simulation directly confirm a defect-assisted type-II band alignment was established to facilitate the charge transfer at the hereto-interphase. In addition, the oxygen vacancy enriched anatase phase with greater binding energy towards the dissolved oxygen facilitated the O 2 – generation. Meanwhile, the rutile phase enriched with Ti3+ could effectively activate the antibiotics to promote the direct h+ mediated oxidation. Such integration of unique atomic vacancies prevent defects from becoming electron-hole recombination centers and consequently extend the lifetime of the photoexcited charge carrier. The degradation mechanism of oxytetracycline was thoroughly examined by ultra-high resolution electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry and Fukui function, while the ecological structure–activity relationships program assessed the toxicity of contaminant to the environment. Milewhile, a continuous water treatment apparatus employing the catalytic tubes as reactors was established and demonstrated a ∼ 95 % OTC degradation under the natural sunlight adopting river water as the background. The experimental studies also claimed that ∼ 90 % of the initial activity could be retained after 100 cycles reuse, which permits their great potential for the applicational scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with the development of industrial society, wastewater has caused multiple environmental problems. Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water and wastewater are persistent, and for this reason they can cause serious problems for human health, animal health, and the whole environment. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to apply efficient methods for the treatment of wastewater that has a high concentration of organic compounds. Over recent years, the prescribed and non-prescribed consumption of antibiotics has increased significantly worldwide. Large quantities of antibiotics are discharged into wastewater because of their incomplete absorption by living organisms. However, even small concentrations present in aquatic environments represent a major risk to human health and environment protection. This paper presents the main advantages and disadvantages of advanced oxidation processes, and the current state and new perspectives in the field of environment protection. This study summarizes data from the most recent specialized scientific literature that focuses on the topic of advanced oxidation processes, thus bringing all these aspects to the attention of researchers in a single work that adds comments and interpretations related to the presented processes. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are often used in the treatment of different types of wastewater. AOPs are based on physicochemical processes that create significant structural changes in chemical species. The majority of antibiotics may be eliminated using physicochemical processes, such as photo-Fenton oxidation, photolysis, ozonation, electrooxidation, heterogeneous catalysis, and other bioprocesses. In comparison to conventional chemical processes, AOPs provide superior oxidation efficiency, ideal operating costs, and zero secondary pollutants.

Synthesis of nanoparticles using plant extract is environment-friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable. This study reports the synthesis of aqueous and ethanolic extracts mediated gold nanoparticles of aerial parts of F. tenacissima (FTAAuNPs) using chloroauric acid. The synthesized nanoparticles obtained from aqueous and ethanolic extracts under sunlight in 1:15 and 1:10 ratios with localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peaks at 533 nm exhibited sizes of 15.7 nm and 27.6 nm, respectively, as revealed by scanning electron, transmission electron, and atomic force microscopic (SEM, TEM, AFM) techniques. Sharp intense surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks were obtained at basic pH (8 to 11), however, the same peaks broadened and reduced at elevated temperatures. FTAAuNPs demonstrated an efficient removal (>80%) of dyes such as methylene blue (70%), Congo red (80%), methyl orange (82%), Rhodamine B (50%), ortho-nitrophenol (85%) and para-nitrophenols (85%), and antibiotics (amoxicillin, levofloxacin, doxycycline) up to 90%. Furthermore, FTAAuNPs were successfully used for sensing of Pb++, Cu++, Ni++, and Zn++ ions in tap and river water samples. Hence, this study offers simple, cost effective, and efficient removal of pollutants/hazards in the water samples, and could solve water and sanitation problems especially in Pakistan.

Considerable efforts have been made in recent years to identify an optimal treatment method for the removal of antibiotics from wastewaters. A series of supramolecular organic-inorganic magnetic composites containing Zn-modified MgAl LDHs and Cu-phthalocyanine as photosensitizers were prepared with the aim of removing β-lactam antibiotics from aqueous solutions. The characterization of these materials confirmed the anchorage of Cu-phthalocyanine onto the edges of the LDH lamellae, with a negligible part inserted in the interlayer space. The removal of the β-lactam antibiotics occurred via concerted adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. The efficiency of the composites depended on (i) the LDH: magnetic nanoparticle (MP) ratio, which was strongly correlated with the textural properties of the catalysts, and (ii) the phthalocyanine loading in the final composite. The maximum efficiency was achieved with a removal of ~93% of the antibiotics after 2 h of reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical modification of biochars can improve their adsorption capacity relative to antibiotics, posing a serious threat to the environment. Therefore, this research is aimed at the treatment of sunflower husk biochar (BC) by vitamin C, hydrogen peroxide or silver nanoparticles and the impact of this procedure on the biochar porosity, surface chemistry, and ability to remove tetracycline (TC). During the study, BC was produced by pyrolysis of sunflower husks at 650 °C. All solids were characterized using potentiometric titration, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, etc. The experimental adsorption data was described by kinetics equations: pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and particle internal diffusion (IPD) models as well as by isotherms of Langmuir, Langmuir-Freundlich, and Redlich-Peterson. The obtained results indicated that the biochar upgraded by vitamin C (BCV) had the highest ability to attract antibiotic molecules and, as a result, the TC adsorption on its surface was the largest. Furthermore, the TC desorption from this material was minimal. The measured TC adsorbed amounts for the modified BCs were as follows: 47.75% (7.47 mg/g) for BCV, 37.35% (8.41 mg/g)-for biochar treated by hydrogen peroxide (BCH), and 42.04% (9.55 mg/g) for biochar modified by silver nanoparticles (BCA). The lowest adsorption level was noted for non-modified biochar, i.e., 34.17% (6.83 mg/g). Based on the presented results it can be stated that the upgraded biochars had a good potential to improve the tetracycline removal from aqueous media, e.g., groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two microwave (MW) responsive heterojunction nanocomposite catalysts, i.e., α-Bi 2 O 3 /CoFe 2 O 4 (BO/CFO) and ZnO/CoFe 2 O 4 (ZO/CFO), with weight% ratio of 70/30, 50/50, 30/70 were synthesized by sequential thermal decomposition and co-precipitation methods, and used for the degradation of tetracycline (TC) under MW irradiation. The formation of desired catalysts was confirmed through the characterization results of XRD, FT-IR, SEM, VSM, UV-DRS, XPS, BET, etc. Using batch MW experiments, the catalyst dose, pH, initial TC concentration, reaction temperature, and MW power were optimized for TC removal. Under the following reaction conditions: catalyst dose ∼1 g/L, initial TC concentration ∼1 mg/L, temperature ∼90 °C, MW ∼450 W, BO/CFO, and ZO/CFO showed ∼97.55% and 88.23% TC degradation, respectively, after 5 min. The difference in the catalytic response against TC degradation indicated the difference in reflective loss (RL) between these two catalysts. The presence of other competitive anions has affected the removal efficiency of TC due to the scavenging effect. The radical trapping study revealed the significant contribution of TC degradation by hydroxyl radicals in the case of ZO/CFO, whereas for BO/CFO, superoxide ( ● O 2 - ) and hydroxyl radicals ( ● OH) both played influential roles. The Z-scheme heterojunction of BO/CFO allowed the formation of ● O 2 - but the same was inhibited in type-II heterojunction of ZO/CFO due to the valance band position. The dielectric loss, magnetic loss, interfacial polarization, and high electrical conductivity, 'hotspots' were produced over the catalyst surface alongside electron-hole separation at heterojunctions, which were responsible for the generation of reactive oxygen species. In addition, Co 3+ /Co 2+ and Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ redox cycles have promoted ● O 2 - and sulfate radical production during persulfate application. Among the two MW responsive catalysts, BO/CFO could be a potential material for rapidly destroying emerging organic pollutants from wastewater without applying other oxidative chemicals under MW irradiation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Abstract Natural adsorbents are a good alternative to remove antibiotic residues from wastewater. In this study, the adsorption capacity of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) onto sugarcane bagasse (SB) and corn cob (CC) in a continuous fixed-bed was compared. Brunauer Emmett Teller, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Boehm titration, and point of zero charge (pHpzc) were used to characterize both adsorbents. The adsorption capacity (qe) and the removal percentage of SMX (% R) were investigated at different different flow rates (2, 5, and 7 mL min− 1) and adsorbent masses (4 and 6.4 g), and a constant initial concentration of 5 mg L− 1. The results of the characterization showed that SB has a morphology with more dispersed particles and a specific surface higher than CC (2.6 > 1.2 m2 g− 1). Boehm titration indicates that both the surface of SB and CC have a greater amount of acid groups, which is in agreement with FTIR and pHpzc results. The continuous fixed-bed experiments showed that % R and qe of SMX are higher with SB in all the tests. The highest qe and maximum % R was 0.24 mg g− 1 and 74% with SB, and 0.15 mg g− 1 and 65% using CC. In most cases, the qe of both adsorbents decreased with the increase of flow rate and bed height. An analysis suggests that hydrogen bonds could be the main factor favoring the SMX adsorption with SB. Finally, the intraparticle diffusion was the rate-controlling step, predominating the pore-volume diffusion resistance.

The removal of antibiotics from wastewater is receiving considerable attention to fulfill water quality parameters required for reuse. This study compares a spinning submerged filter adsorber with a fixed bed adsorber for continuous antibiotic removal. Adsorbers were evaluated with micro granular activated carbon (μGAC: 508 μm), coarse powder activated carbon (cPAC: 197 μm), powder activated carbon (PAC: 77 μm), and a domestic wastewater effluent spiked with a mixture of amoxicillin, sulfamethoxazole, and levofloxacin with concentrations ranging from 10 to 50 mg/L. The fixed bed adsorber packed with cPAC was the most efficient adsorber running with wastewater spiked with 50 mg/L of each antibiotic and an empty bed contact time (EBCT) of 4.5 min. The spinning submerged filter adsorber configuration also provided high removal effectiveness using a 15 g/L concentration of PAC but with a lower hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 40 min. This adsorption unit can be filled with small PAC particles, unlike packed beds, and PAC concentrations can be increased up to 150 g/L if necessary. It combines adsorption and filtration with a completely mixed mode of operation in which the PAC concentration can be adapted to effluent micropollutant concentrations, making it an interesting alternative for adsorption processes.

In this study, the CuFe2O4 on rGO/halloysite material was made in an uncomplicated manner. The catalyst has a sandwich-like shape with a uniform coating of the active phase on the rGO sheets and halloysite tubes. The catalyst’s large specific surface area (130 m2/g) and small band gap energy (1.9 eV) allow it to adsorb photons and photocatalyze organic contaminants effectively. In approximately 1 h of light, the catalyst showed high performance in achieving almost complete conversion in photodegrading CIP for an initial CIP concentration of 20 ppm. A pseudo-first-order rate law was followed by the process, as revealed by the experimental results. In addition, the pH effect and the contribution of intermediate reactive radicals that emerged during the photochemical process were explored. The results indicated that hydroxyl radicals and holes had a major impact on CIP decomposition, suggesting that the addition of these radicals could enhance CIP degradation efficiency at a larger scale. This study also confirmed the superiority of catalysis and photochemical processes in environmental treatments by the neutral pH values.

Long-term water consumption with contaminated antibiotics and high levels of hardness threatens the health of humans and animals. In this study, a novel positively charged nanofiltration membrane was designed for the dual purpose of efficiently removing antibiotics and softening hard water. The membrane was fabricated by casting P84 polymer solution onto non-woven fabrics, followed by immersion in the polyethyleneimine (PEI) solution for phase inversion and cross-linking, and finalized interfacial polymerization with trimesoyl chloride. Notably, the rapid immersion of the P84 substrate into PEI drastically reduces preparation time by 95 % compared to the regular method while maximizing PEI storage, resulting in uniform pore sizes and a positively charged surface. The optimal membrane showed a high water permeance of 11.3 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and exceptional antibiotic rejection, i.e., 99.6 % for enrofloxacin, 99.2 % for ciprofloxacin, and 96.3 % for sulfamethoxazole, as well as a highly effective removal in water hardness (over 96 % of Ca2+ and Mg2+) at 4 bar. Simulated water separation tests showed that the optimal membrane effectively controls hard water salinity within optimum drinking water ranges (Ca2+ ≤ 80 mg/L; Mg2+ ≤ 30 mg/L), providing efficient water softening and antibiotic capture ability. Additionally, the optimal membrane demonstrated a superior anti-bacterial and long-term stability performance. This study has significant potential for improving drinking water supply safety and addressing pressing public health and environmental concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reutilizing heavy metal enriched adsorbents into efficient photocatalysts for antibiotic removal is of great economic value. Herein, spent alkali-lignin biochar (ALB) with enriched Zn2+/Cd2+ ions is valorized into ZnS-CdS/C photocatalyst via a simple vulcanization method. ZnS-CdS/C (3:1) exhibits a superior photocatalytic removal efficiency of 98.6 % for levofloxacin (LEV), with about 60 % of the initial value remained after four cycles. It also shows good photocatalytic removal efficiencies of 92.1 %, 95.4 % and 84.0 % for enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and tetracycline, respectively. Electron paramagnetic resonance (ESR) shows that the introduction of ZnS and CdS in ALB promotes the generation of oxygen vacancies and persistent free radicals (PFRs). The photocatalytic LEV removal mechanism of ZnS-CdS/C indicates that both the abundant PFRs and photogenerated electrons serve as electron donors, efficiently reducing dioxygen to superoxide free radicals (·O 2 -). The ·O 2 - formed in the above two ways continuously degrade the LEV molecules. Finally, the biotoxicity and developmental toxicity of LEV degradation intermediates confirms that the ZnS-CdS/C degradation system can remove LEV effectively with reduced harm to the ecological environment. • ZnS-CdS/C is prepared by recycling of Zn2+/Cd2+-enriched ALB. • ZnS-CdS/C (3:1) exhibits a superior LEV removal efficiency of 98.6 %. • ZnS-CdS coated in ALB matrix promotes the generation of oxygen vacancies and PFRs. • PFRs and photogenerated electrons reduce dioxygen to ·O 2 - for degradation of LEV. • ZnS-CdS/C can lower the harm of LEV to the ecological environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new magnetic sorbent based on MIL-88A(Fe)/MIL-88B(Fe) binary metal organic frameworks (MOF/MOF hybrid) incorporated with PW 12 O 40 3- polyanions and nickel ferrite (NiFe 2 O 4) was prepared and used as an efficient adsorbent for removing hazardous antibiotics and dyes from aqueous solutions. [Display omitted] • A new magnetic quaternary sorbent based on MOF/MOF hybrid approach was synthesized. • Polyoxometalate was incorporated into magnetic MIL-88A(Fe)/MIL-88B(Fe) binary MOFs. • The antibiotic drugs removal of magnetic sorbent was enhanced greatly in the presence of polyoxometalate. • The sorbent hybrid was magnetically separated and reused without change. In this research, a new magnetic quaternary sorbent based on the MOF-on-MOF approach was synthesized through a solvothermal method. For this purpose, the MIL-88A(Fe)/MIL-88B(Fe) binary metal–organic frameworks (biMOFs) were prepared, and H 3 PW 12 O 40 polyoxometalate and nickel ferrite (NiFe 2 O 4) were incorporated into this MOF/MOF hybrid. The as-prepared magnetically recyclable {H 3 PW 12 O 40 }/MIL-88A(Fe)/MIL-88B(Fe)/NFO nanocomposite was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM, EDX, TEM, BET surface area, zeta potential, and magnetic measurements. The composite displayed high adsorption capabilities and was effective in separating tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) antibiotics, as well as removing organic dyes from water solutions. The impacts of factors such as dosage, temperature, initial concentration, and pH on the absorption process were analyzed. The outcomes suggested that the nanocomposite adsorbed 100 % of drugs in 14 min for TC and 20 min for CIP from water with a maximum adsorption capacity of 1428.57 mg g-1 and 344.82 mg g-1, respectively. It is capable of selectively adsorbing cationic methylene blue (MB) dye in 100 % within a few minutes, even in mixtures.The nanocomposite's enhanced electrostatic attraction plays a significant role in its improved absorption rates and capacities. The adsorption process fits well with the Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetic model, demonstrating a multilayer adsorption and chemical adsorption behavior. The nanocomposite exhibits stability and recyclability without any structural changes, making it a highly promising adsorbent for effectively removing drugs and organic dyes from polluted water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • One-step carbonization-co-activation method via a new type of mixed activator. • A series of straw biochars were prepared with enhanced physi-chemical properties. • The total pore volumes of biochars are obviously increased. • Biochars showed excellent adsorption performances in single and binary system. • The maximum adsorption capacities for antibiotics are higher than most of adsorbents. In this study, corn and wheat straw biochars (BCS-K-Zn and BWS-K-Zn) were produced through a one-step carbonization-co-activation method utilizing a novel mixed activator (ZnCl 2 or K 2 SO 4). The data indicated that their specific surface areas measured 1817.66 and 1509.84 m2/g, respectively. This method significantly improved the physicochemical properties of the biochars, particularly the total pore volume, which increased by 26.79 % and 31.54 %, respectively, when compared to the biochars produced from single activator. After analyzing the reactions present in the preparation process, we proposed the hypothesis of "micro-explosion reaction". Following this, we investigated the removal abilities of biochars using chloramphenicol and tetracycline hydrochloride (CP and TH) as adsorption models. Both biochars demonstrated superior performance in single system and binary system adsorption tests. The maximum adsorption capacities for TH (1782.52 and 1638.44 mg/g) and CP (1368.18 and 1438.22 mg/g) exceed those of most adsorbents. This work aims to not only prepare biochars with enhanced performance to combat antibiotic pollution in water, but also verify the effectiveness of a new preparation technology. This could serve as a novel strategy for further development of lignocellulosic biochars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRTs) are essential in the treatment of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury and are also discussed as a supporting sepsis therapy. CRRT can affect antibiotics plasma concentrations. Objective: The effect of continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) with an asymmetric triacetate (ATA) membrane hemofilter on concentrations of antibiotics with low (meropenem), medium (vancomycin), and high (daptomycin) protein binding (PB) was investigated. Methods: 1 L human whole blood supplemented with antibiotics was recirculated and filtrated for 6 h in vitro. Clearances and sieving coefficients (SC) were determined from antibiotics concentrations measured at filter inlet, outlet, and filtrate side. Reservoir concentration data were fitted using a first-order kinetic model. Results: Meropenem and vancomycin concentrations decreased to 5–10% of the initial plasma level, while only 50% of daptomycin were removed. Clearances and SCs were (10.8 [10.8–17.4] mL/min, SC = 0.72 [0.72–1.16]) for meropenem, (13.4 [12.3–13.7] mL/min, 0.89 [0.82–0.92]) for vancomycin, and (2.1 [1.8–2.1] mL/min, 0.14 [0.12–0.14]) for daptomycin. Removal by adsorption was negligible. Conclusions: The clearances and SCs presented are comparable with findings of other authors. Meropenem and vancomycin, which exhibit low and medium PB, respectively, were strongly removed, while considerably less daptomycin was removed because of its high PB. Our results suggest that in clinical use of the tested antibiotics during CRRT with the ATA hemofilter, the same factors have to be considered for determining the dosing strategy as with filters with other commonly applied membrane materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review emphasizes the applicability of bioelectrochemical systems for the treatment of wastewaters contaminated with xenobiotic compounds. Treatment options for dyes, antibiotics, aromatics and chlorinated compounds are reviewed in this article. Two major variants of bioelectrochemical systems, namely microbial fuel cell (MFC) and microbial electrolysis cell (MEC), are discussed in light of xenobiotics removal. The efficiency of each system in terms of pollutant removal and power recovered/utilised is discussed and degradation mechanisms for these biorefractory compounds are described. This review also discusses the removal and recovery of heavy metals through biocatalytic and electrochemical reduction in the cathodic chamber of MFC and MEC. Further, the future scope of research is also elaborated in light of different issues pertaining to the replicability and scalability of the system.

In this study, a magnetic solid-phase extraction method was developed based on multi-wall carbon nanotubes decorated by magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) and cadmium sulfide nanoparticles (Fe3O4@MWCNT-CdS) for trace extraction of cefixime and tetracycline antibiotics from urine and drug company wastewater. The adsorbent features were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Various effective parameters on the sorption and desorption cycle, such as sorption time, the mass of adsorbent, pH, salt addition, and material ratio, were investigated and optimized. The data were evaluated using isotherm models, and experimental data were well-fitted to both Langmuir (R2 = 0.975) and Freundlich (R2 = 0.985) models. Moreover, kinetic of reaction was agreement with pseudo-second-order (R2 = 0.999) as compared pseudo-first-order (R2 = 0.760). The maximum adsorption capacity for tetracycline and cefixime was achieved at 116.27 and 105.26 mg·g−1, respectively. Hence, the prepared adsorbent can be used as an alternative material for enhanced determination of pharmaceutical substances in biological fluids.

Natural adsorbents are a good alternative to remove antibiotic residues from wastewater. In this study, the adsorption capacity of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) onto sugarcane bagasse (SB) and corn cob (CC) in a continuous fixed-bed was compared. Brunauer Emmett Teller, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Boehm titration, and point of zero charge (pHpzc) were used to characterize both adsorbents. The adsorption capacity (qe) and the removal percentage of SMX (% R) were investigated at different different flow rates (2, 5, and 7 mL min− 1) and adsorbent masses (4 and 6.4 g), and a constant initial concentration of 5 mg L− 1. The results of the characterization showed that SB has a morphology with more dispersed particles and a specific surface higher than CC (2.6 > 1.2 m2 g− 1). Boehm titration indicates that both the surface of SB and CC have a greater amount of acid groups, which is in agreement with FTIR and pHpzc results. The continuous fixed-bed experiments showed that % R and qe of SMX are higher with SB in all the tests. The highest qe and maximum % R was 0.24 mg g− 1 and 74% with SB, and 0.15 mg g− 1 and 65% using CC. In most cases, the qe of both adsorbents decreased with the increase of flow rate and bed height. An analysis suggests that hydrogen bonds could be the main factor favoring the SMX adsorption with SB. Finally, the intraparticle diffusion was the rate-controlling step, predominating the pore-volume diffusion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable efforts have been made in recent years to identify an optimal treatment method for the removal of antibiotics from wastewaters. A series of supramolecular organic-inorganic magnetic composites containing Zn-modified MgAl LDHs and Cu-phthalocyanine as photosensitizers were prepared with the aim of removing β-lactam antibiotics from aqueous solutions. The characterization of these materials confirmed the anchorage of Cu-phthalocyanine onto the edges of the LDH lamellae, with a negligible part inserted in the interlayer space. The removal of the β-lactam antibiotics occurred via concerted adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. The efficiency of the composites depended on (i) the LDH: magnetic nanoparticle (MP) ratio, which was strongly correlated with the textural properties of the catalysts, and (ii) the phthalocyanine loading in the final composite. The maximum efficiency was achieved with a removal of ~93% of the antibiotics after 2 h of reaction.

Chemical modification of biochars can improve their adsorption capacity relative to antibiotics, posing a serious threat to the environment. Therefore, this research is aimed at the treatment of sunflower husk biochar (BC) by vitamin C, hydrogen peroxide or silver nanoparticles and the impact of this procedure on the biochar porosity, surface chemistry, and ability to remove tetracycline (TC). During the study, BC was produced by pyrolysis of sunflower husks at 650 °C. All solids were characterized using potentiometric titration, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, etc. The experimental adsorption data was described by kinetics equations: pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and particle internal diffusion (IPD) models as well as by isotherms of Langmuir, Langmuir-Freundlich, and Redlich-Peterson. The obtained results indicated that the biochar upgraded by vitamin C (BCV) had the highest ability to attract antibiotic molecules and, as a result, the TC adsorption on its surface was the largest. Furthermore, the TC desorption from this material was minimal. The measured TC adsorbed amounts for the modified BCs were as follows: 47.75% (7.47 mg/g) for BCV, 37.35% (8.41 mg/g)-for biochar treated by hydrogen peroxide (BCH), and 42.04% (9.55 mg/g) for biochar modified by silver nanoparticles (BCA). The lowest adsorption level was noted for non-modified biochar, i.e., 34.17% (6.83 mg/g). Based on the presented results it can be stated that the upgraded biochars had a good potential to improve the tetracycline removal from aqueous media, e.g., groundwater.

The analytical study was conducted to evaluate the concentration of ciprofloxacin (CIP), chlortetracycline (CTC), and chosen metals in a wastewater treatment plant. The concentration of CIP was slightly higher in the effluent (0.703 ±0.045 µg/L) than the influent (0.467 ±0.049 µg/L) in wastewater samples. More than 70% of CTC was recovered during wastewater treatment; its concentration in wastewater effluent was at 6.13 ± 0.863 µg/L. High concentration of CIP and CTC, 3.9 and 11 mg/kg, respectively, were detected in the solid fractions of sludge. This elevated concentration might have been due to interactions with metals in sludge (i.e., 64-89 g/kg of Ca, 52--109 g/kg of Fe) as both antibiotics have the capacity to form complexes with them. The chemical speciation of all sludge types was carried out to further investigate the distribution of targeted metals and antibiotics and to establish if there is any interdependence. The positive correlation between CTC/CIP concentration and Mg, Ca, and As concentration in primary sludge was observed. This suggests that metalantibiotic interaction may contribute to primary wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Iron-rich sludge-derived photocatalyst was successfully synthesized without use of additives. • Iron-rich sludge-derived photocatalyst achieved 95.3% tetracycline degradation. • Efficient separation and recovery of photocatalyst by the magnetism. The disposal of iron-rich sludge by landfill or incineration poses environmental risks and wastes resources. The utilization of iron-rich sludge for magnetic material preparation offers a sustainable and resource-efficient solution for its disposal. Herein, self-endowed magnetic photocatalysts were initially prepared by pyrolysis using iron-rich sludge without any additives. The photocatalysts performance were evaluated for tetracycline degradation, with the highest degradation rate of 95.3 % at a concentration of 10 mg·L-1 (pH = 7) within 5 h being achieved for the photocatalyst prepared at 800 °C. The reactive radical species in the photocatalysis process were confirmed to be •OH and O 2 •- activated by ferrous oxygen species under light irradiation. Furthermore, quinone-like structures induced bound persistent free radicals, which emerged as the predominant factors influencing 1O 2 formation. The employed photocatalyst can be efficiently separated and recovered owing to its magnetism. This work presents an economic solution for antibiotic removal using waste iron-rich sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • C. vulgaris -S395-2- C. rosea presents superior antibiotics removal capacities. • The maximum TCs removal efficiencies were 97.0 ± 2.8 %. • The induction of GAs enhanced the antibiotics purification of the algal system. • The optimal GAs concentration was 50 mg/L. To develop and characterize novel antibiotics removal biomaterial technology, we constructed three different bacteria-microalgae-fungi consortiums containing Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris), endophytic bacterium, Clonostachys rosea (C. rosea), Ganoderma lucidum , and Pleurotus pulmonarius. The results showed that under treatment with 50 mg/L of gibberellins (GAs), the three bacteria-microalgae-fungi symbionts had maximal growth rates (0.317 ± 0.030 d-1) and the highest removal efficiency for seven different antibiotics. Among them, C. vulgaris -endophytic bacterium- C. rosea symbiont had the best performance, with antibiotics removal efficiencies of 96.0 ± 1.4 %, 91.1 ± 7.9 %, 48.7 ± 5.1 %, 34.6 ± 2.9 %, 61.0 ± 5.5 %, 63.7 ± 5.6 %, and 54.3 ± 4.9 % for tetracycline hydrochloride, oxytetracycline hydrochloride, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, sulfadiazine, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole, respectively. Overall, the present study demonstrates that 50 mg/L GAs enhances biomass production and antibiotics removal efficiency of bacteria-microalgae-fungi symbionts, providing a framework for future antibiotics-containing wastewater treatment using three-phase symbionts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the potential ecosystem protection and management applications, searching to achieve highly optimized semiconductor-based photocatalysts utilizing solar energy is still a significant challenge. Thus, CaTiO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 heterostructures synthesis via in-situ calcination method was synthesized here, and its structure was investigated by different characterization techniques such as FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDX, X-ray mapping, cyclic voltammetry (CV), EIS, and DRS techniques. The average crystallite size of the composite sample was estimated at 3.8 nm and 3.5 nm, respectively, according to the Scherrer and Williamson-Hall using XRD results. pHpzc values were approximately 8.6, 5.5, and 6.5 for CaTiO 3 , g-C 3 N 4, and CaTiO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 samples. Based on the DRS data, the evaluated band gap energy for the g-C 3 N 4 , CaTiO 3, and CaTiO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 were 2.76, 3.5, and 2.6 eV, respectively. EIS and CV data confirmed better charge carriers' transfer in the composite. The proposed CaTiO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 composite showed a synergistic effect in the photodegradation of Gemifloxacin in an aqueous solution under both UV and Vis light illumination. Changes in the CaTiO 3 :g-C 3 N 4 ratio varied the photocatalytic activity of the obtained catalyst. [Display omitted] • CaTiO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 nanocompsite was prepared by in-situ calcination method. • Visible light driven CaTiO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 exhibited high activity in gemifloxacin degradation. • Determination of potential position of VB and CB levels of semiconductors used. • Red shift in band gap of the composite relative to individual systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the growing concern about the high levels of antibiotics in water, outlining an alternative for their removal. The adsorption of four representative antibiotics from commonly used families (fluoroquinolones, β-lactams, trimethoprim, and sulfonamides) was performed over vegetal powdered activated carbon. The evolution of the adsorption was studied during 60 min for different initial antibiotic concentrations, not only individually but also simultaneously to determine competitive adsorption. Moreover, this research studied the adsorption isotherms and kinetics of the process, as well as the pH influence; FTIR of the activated carbon before and after adsorption was carried out. Trimethoprim and sulfadiazine showed more affinity for the adsorbent than amoxicillin and enrofloxacin. This trend might be attributed to their structure, capable of stablishing stronger π-π interactions with the adsorbent, which showed high affinity for the active sites of the adsorbent via FTIR. In addition, the sorption isotherms of trimethoprim followed a Langmuir type isotherm, amoxicillin followed a Freundlich type isotherm, and enrofloxacin and sulfadiazine followed both. The antibiotics followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Sulfadiazine and amoxicillin gave better performances in acidic conditions. By contrast, the sorption of trimethoprim was favored in basic environments. Variations of pH had a negligible effect on the removal of enrofloxacin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of antibiotic molecules in the natural water sources is currently a huge problem due to the development of bacterial resistance. Graphene oxide (GO) has a large potential as a candidate for the applications of water treatment. In this paper, graphene oxide was tested as a new generation adsorbent for the removal of two antibiotics: trimethoprim (TMP) and isoniazid (INH). Both adsorption processes reached the equilibrium in less than 1 h. Maximum adsorption capacities were found to be 204.08 mg g-1 for TMP and 13.89 mg g-1 for INH. TMP adsorption on GO was favored in alkaline medium while the performance of GO for INH adsorption was better in acidic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental pollution caused by the introduction of antibiotics into the water resources poses serious threats to aquatic organisms and human health due to their toxicity and lasting harmful effects. In this research, the magnetized nanoparticles coated by chitosan (CS/Fe3O4) were grafted with graphene oxide (GO) to develop a biopolymer composite and study its efficiency for the removal of rifampicin (RIF), a semisynthetic antibiotic, from aqueous solution. The physiochemical properties of the GO/CS/Fe3O4 nanocomposite were characterized using the FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDS, VSM, TGA, and BET analyses. The impacts of experimental parameters including the medium pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, temperature, initial RIF concentration, and ionic strength on the adsorption efficiency were further investigated through batch experiments. The results indicated that in a solution with an initial RIF concentration of 20 mg L−1 and a pH value of 5 at a temperature of 328 K, RIF removal efficiency was achieved higher than 95% using 10 mg of the GO/CS/Fe3O4 composite for a contact time of 75 min. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm were assessed using different models. The maximum adsorption capacity ( q max ) of the GO/CS/Fe3O4 was found to be 102.11 mg g−1. Thermodynamic studies demonstrated the endothermic and spontaneous nature of the RIF adsorption. The high removal efficiency (over 70%) after seven successive adsorption–desorption cycles with the GO/CS/Fe3O4 showed the satisfactory regeneration performance of the adsorbent. Overall, the results of this study confirmed the capability of the GO/CS/Fe3O4 in enhanced removing RIF from aqueous media for environmental remediation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic-resistant microorganisms are drawing a lot of attention due to their severe and irreversible consequences on human health. The animal industry is considered responsible in part because of the enormous volume of antibiotics used annually. In the current research, veterinary antibiotic (VA) degradation, finding the threshold of removal and recognizing the joint effects of chlortetracycline (CTC) and Tylosin combination on the digestion process were studied. Laboratory scale anaerobic digesters were utilized to investigate potential mitigation of VA in swine manure. The digesters had a working volume of 1.38 L (in 1.89-L glass jar), with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 21 days and a loading rate of 1.0 g-VS L−1 d −1 . Digesters were kept at 39 ± 2 ◦C in incubators and loaded every two days, produced biogas every 4 days and digester pH were measured weekly. The anaerobic digestion (AD) process was allowed 1.5 to 2 HRT to stabilize before adding the VAs. Tests were conducted to compare the effects of VAs onto manure nutrients, volatile solid removal, VA degradation, and biogas production. Concentrations of VA added to the manure samples were 263 to 298 mg/L of CTC, and 88 to 263 mg/L of Tylosin, respectively. Analysis of VA concentrations before and after the AD process was conducted to determine the VA degradation. Additional tests were also conducted to confirm the degradation of both VAs dissolved in water under room temperature and digester temperature. Some fluctuations of biogas production and operating variables were observed because of the VA addition. All CTC was found degraded even only after 6 days of storage in water solution; thus, there was no baseline to estimate the effects of AD. As for Tylosin, 100% degradation was observed due to the AD (removal was 100%, compared with 24–40% degradation observed in the 12-day water solution storage). Besides, complete Tylosin degradation was also observed in the digestate samples treated with a mixture of the two VAs. Lastly, amplicon sequencing was performed on each group by using the 50 most variable operational taxonomic units (OTUs)s and perfect discriminations were detected between groups. The effect of administration period and dosage of VAs on Phyla Firmicutes Proteobacteria, Synergistetes and Phylum Bacteroides was investigated. These biomarkers’ abundance can be employed to predict the sample’s treatment group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel direct Z‐scheme CuBi2O4/BiOBr heterostructural photocatalyst was developed aiming to modulate the adsorption ability and photocatalytic degradation performance toward antibiotics. Tetracycline as the model antibiotics was found to show pH value and temperature dependent adsorption capacity over CuBi2O4/BiOBr. The adsorption process was fitted to Pseudo‐second‐order and Elovich kinetic models and adsorption isotherm was followed Freundich isotherm model. Junction of CuBi2O4 and BiOBr can modulate the surface feature and interfacial interactions, leading to direct Z‐scheme charge kinetics for improved photocatalytic activity. The adsorptive capability and photocatalytic performance of CuBi2O4/BiOBr heterojunction showed great improvement in comparison with pristine CuBi2O4 and BiOBr. The mineralization process and intermediates for tetracycline degradation were identified by total organic carbon analysis and liquid chromatograph‐tandem mass spectrometry. Plausible transformation pathway and photocatalytic mechanism were proposed. Radical trapping experiments indicated that photogenerated holes and ⋅O2−active species played crucial roles in photocatalytic tetracycline decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to optimize the development process of bismuth oxide/carbon dots (Bi 2 O 3 /Cdots) using microwave-assisted precipitation for antibiotics removal. Experimental design and analysis of optimum formulation predictions is conducted using the response surface methodology-central composite design (RSM-CCD). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used for model development and the fit optimized model is validated through actual experiments considering error estimation metrics. Optimal synthesis conditions is achieved by developing Bi 2 O 3 /Cdots 13.31%wt under 780 W microwaves for 17.35 minutes. The analysis of optical properties and crystallinity shows that the composite has a narrow bandgap compared to Bi 2 O 3 with a lattice spacing of 0.32 nm. The morphological and topographical profiles shows that the composite structure consists of Bi 2 O 3 rods with wavy, irregular, and rough surfaces decorated with colonies of Cdots. The chemical state of the composite consists of Bi, O, and C which are distributed throughout the surface with a lower binding energy compared to Bi 2 O 3. Through disc diffusion, composite reduced the inhibition zone, which means it is able to reduce the antibacterial activity and antibiotic efficacy. The optimized composite is able to degrade 76.6% ciprofloxacin (CIP), 73.3% cefadroxil (CEF), 54.4% amoxicillin (AMX), and 60.3% mixed antibiotics (MIX). Our findings indicated that the developed Bi 2 O 3 /Cdots is capable of robust removal in various antibiotic pollutants. • Bi 2 O 3 /Cdots is a novel composite for robust antibiotic removal developed using microwave assisted precipitation. • Composite performance is optimized by using response surface methodology (RSM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). • Duration, microwave power, and Cdots affect the optical properties, crystallinity, morphology, and binding energy. • Composite removed various antibiotics: ciprofloxacin 76.60%, cefadroxil 73.30%, and amoxicillin 54.38%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photothermal synergistic effect accelerates persulfate activation on Bi 12 CoO 20 sillenite and leads to rapid removal of ofloxacin. [Display omitted] • Photothermal synergistic effect accelerates persulfate activation on Bi 12 CoO 20 sillenite and leads to rapid removal of ofloxacin. • Photothermal synergistic mechanism for persulfate activation on Bi 12 CoO 20 is clarified. • The valence state of surface Co3+ changes to Co2+ under thermal conditions, resulting in the lowering of persulfate activation energy. • The persulfate is activated by photogenerated electrons when surface Co2+ exists. Efficient removal of ofloxacin (OFX) is achieved in the Bi 12 CoO 20 /persulfate (PS) photothermal system. Over 80 % of the pollutant (10–200 ppm) is degraded within 1 h reaction and remarkably the degradation rate of 10 ppm OFX reaches 4.6 times higher than that of P25. The superior performance can be attributed to the synergistically photothermal PS activation. Heat changes to surface Co3+ to Co2+ on Bi 12 CoO 20 , and lower the activation energy of PS while light excites electrons to reduce PS to yield SO 4 •- when surface Co2+ forms. By retaining the active sites (surface Co2+) for PS activation, the photothermal activation rate of PS enhances to 0.122 min−1, 24.4 times higher than that (0.005 min−1) without photothermal effect. The current research provides insights into the PS photothermal activation system and aids in the development of a more efficient PS activation method for antibiotics degradation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Clonostachys rosea extracted from soil was used as a highly efficient biomaterial. • Algal-bacterial-fungal symbionts presents superior antibiotics removal capacities. • The maximum OTC removal efficiency was 99.35 ± 0.47%. • The removal performance was affected by concentration and type of the antibiotics. • The optimal antibiotic treatment concentration was 0.25 mg L−1. Antibiotic misuse are potentially harmful to the environment and human health. Four algal symbionts were constructed using Chlorella vulgaris , endophytic bacterium and Clonostachys rosea (C. rosea) as the biomaterials. The growth, photosynthetic activity, and antibiotic removal efficiency of symbiont under different initial antibiotic concentrations was analyzed. The results showed that the microalgae-bacteria-fungi symbiont had a maximum growth rate of 0.307 ± 0.030 d−1 and achieved 99.35 ± 0.47%, 81.06 ± 7.83%, and 79.15 ± 7.26% removal of oxytetracycline (OTC), sulfadimethazine (SM2), and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CPFX), respectively, at an initial antibiotic concentration of 0.25 mg/L. C. rosea has always existed as a biocontrol fungus. In this study, it was innovatively used to construct algal symbionts and used for antibiotic wastewater treatment with a high efficiency. The results contribute to the development of appropriate bioaugmentation strategies and the design of an algal symbiont process for the treatment of antibiotic-containing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]