Determining the optimal conditions and factors affecting the efficiency of pharmaceutical wastewater treatment containing ciprofloxacin by TiO2 nanoparticle photocatalytic process

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
ALi Gholamian 1
Farhad Qaderi 1
Hassan Aminirad 1
Rezvan Abedini 2
1 Babol Noshirvani University of Technology
2 IUST
Abstract
In recent years, the increasing presence of antibiotics particularly ciprofloxacin (CIP) in aquatic environments has raised serious environmental and health concerns. This study investigated the efficiency of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles activated by ultraviolet (UV) light in removing ciprofloxacin from aqueous solutions. Experimental design was carried out using Design Expert software, and the effects of variables such as pH, reaction time, and initial drug concentration were evaluated. The results showed that increasing reaction time and decreasing initial concentration significantly improved the removal efficiency. The optimal pH range for maximum removal was found to be between 5 and 7. Additionally, the photocatalytic system used in this study demonstrated high performance, low energy consumption, and the ability to degrade the pollutant without the need for additional chemicals. These findings suggest that TiO₂-based photocatalysis is an efficient and environmentally friendly method for treating wastewater containing antibiotics.

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