Metal-free and stable dye-sensitized polymer matrix for the detoxification of antibiotic drug levofloxacin under visible light illumination

ABSTRACT

Herein, we developed novel malachite green (MG), crystal violet (CV), methyl orange (MO) sensitized Polymethylmethacrylate (named as MG@PMMA, CV@PMMA, and MO@PMMA) through the simple solution casting method. The successful formation was confirmed by various analytical and spectroscopic techniques. For the first time, the as-prepared MG@PMMA, CV@PMMA, and MO@PMMA were utilized as photocatalysts for the degradation of levofloxacin (LEV) drug under visible light. The UV–visible spectroscopy results revealed that the above 90%, 94%, and 95% of LEV degradation efficiency was achieved over MG@PMMA, CV@PMMA, and MO@PMMA, respectively. Furthermore, the dye-sensitized PMMA matrices demonstrated good repeatability and reusability even after the fifth usage.

KEYWORDS:

• Antibiotics
• photodegradation
• dye
• visible light

Novelty statement

This work introduces the facile synthesis of affordable, metal-free and trouble-free recoverable efficient dye-sensitized PMMA for the very first time. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the dye@PMMA thin films was evaluated in detail and compared with literature. We strongly believed that this manuscript may receive much attention indeed the choice of readers’ interest in Dyes and Pigments.

Supplementary material

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