Photocatalytic activity of tetracycline hydrochloride in mariculture wastewater degraded by CuO/Bi2O3 under visible light

ABSTRACT

CuO/Bi₂O₃ photocatalysts were successfully prepared by coprecipitation. The morphology of CuO was like seedlings, growing on the surface of Bi₂O₃ and forming nanoparticles with enhanced surface properties. Compared with pure Bi₂O₃, CuO/Bi₂O₃ nanocomposites showed a higher catalytic reaction interface and photocatalytic efficiency toward target pollutants. Six single-factor experiments were designed to investigate the performance advantages of the as-designed nanoparticles. These characteristics showed that the as-obtained CuO/Bi₂O₃ composite(s) could have enlarged applicability. The optimum conditions for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride by composite photocatalyst were obtained by six factors and five levels orthogonal experiment. The optimal conditions for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride pollution in mariculture wastewater by composite photocatalyst CuO/Bi₂O₃ were the calcination temperature of 350°C, the calcination time of 2 h, the dosage of 1.4 g/L, the concentration of H₂O₂ of 0.4 g/L, the initial concentration of antibiotics of 0.01 g/L, and the illumination time of 3 h. The decrease rate of solution under optimized conditions was 99.72%. After four cycles of repeated experiments, the degradation rate of photocatalyst can still reach more than 90%. It is proved that the repetitive stability of synthetic materials. These characteristics make CuO/Bi₂O₃ have practical application value.

KEYWORDS:

• Water treatment
• metal oxide modification
• photocatalysis
• tetracycline hydrochloride

Acknowledgements

We sincerely thank the State Oceanic Administration People’s Republic of China (201305002), Liaoning Science and Technology Public Welfare Fund (20170002), Science Foundation of Department of Ocean and Fisheries of Liaoning Province (201733), and Department of Science and Technology of Liaoning (2016LD0105) for their financial support of this study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science Foundation of Department of Ocean and Fisheries of Liaoning Province [201733]; Liaoning Science and Technology Public Welfare Fund [20170002]; State Oceanic Administration People’s Republic of China [201305002]; Department of Science and Technology of Liaoning [2016LD0105].