Improvement of Floxin photocatalytic degradability in the presence of sulfite: Performance, kinetic, degradation pathway, energy consumption and total cost of system

ABSTRACT

In this study, photocatalytic degradability of Floxin antibiotic by UV/ZnO/sulfite (UZS) advanced oxidation process was evaluated. The degradation rate of Floxin antibiotic by UV/ZnO (UZ) and UV alone processes were 30% and 15%, respectively, within 5 min. It was observed sulfite has a synergistic effect on the performance of UZ, as the complete destruction of Floxin was achieved when sulfite was introduced into the photocatalytic medium. The complete degradation of Floxin by UZS was obtained at pH of 12.0, sulfite/ZnO molar ratio of 1:3 after 5 min of reaction. According to kinetic studies, the observed rate of Floxin degradation (r_obs (mg L⁻¹ min)) by UZS was 63 and 25 times that of UV alone and UZS, respectively. The values of energy consumption and the total cost for UV alone, UZ and UZS processes were estimated to be (50 kWh m⁻³ and 1.4 $ m⁻³), (20 kWh m⁻³ and 0.98 $ m⁻³) and (0.78 kWh m⁻³ and 0.82 $ m⁻³), respectively.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Advanced oxidation process
• floxin
• sulfite
• uv
• zno

Acknowledgments

This study is based on the project done in the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences for their financial support of this study (project NO. 1399/0795).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences [project NO. 1399/0795].