PECVD synthesis of ZnO/Si thin film as a novel adsorbent for removal of azithromycin from water samples

ABSTRACT

In the current study, ZnO/Si thin film was prepared through a plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) method and used for the elimination of azithromycin (AZM) from various real samples. Some specs about the structure and morphology of the ZnO/Si thin film were systematically examined utilising approaches such as X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The adsorption of AZM on the ZnO/Si thin film was accomplished under various statuses that are equilibrium time = 45 min, adsorbent dose = 0.025, pH solution = 7.0, and primary AZM concentration = 15 mg L⁻¹. Four models were utilised to monitoring the adsorption kinetic of AZM onto ZnO/Si thin film: pseudo-first order (PFO), pseudo-second order (PSO), Elovich (E) and intraparticle diffusion (ID) models. Equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir (L), Freundlich (F), Temkin (T) and Redlich-Peterson (R-P) isotherm models. The elimination efficiency of AZM via ZnO/Si thin film was evaluated in three real samples. Finally, it should be noted that AZM loaded on the adsorbent could be easily desorbed with 0.1 mol L⁻¹ HNO₃ and the adsorbent showed good reusability for adsorption of the studied drug.

KEYWORDS:

• Azithromycin
• PECVD method
• isotherm
• kinetic
• ZnO/Si thin film

Author contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by [Soheil Sobhan Ardakani], [Mehrdad Cheraghi], [Azadeh Jafari] and [Raziyeh Zandi Pak]. The first draft of the manuscript was written by [Soheil Sobhan Ardakani] and [Raziyeh Zandi Pak] and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received.