Recent advances in photodegradation of antibiotic residues in water

Xiuru Yang; Zhi Chen; Wan Zhao; Chunxi Liu; Xiaoxiao Qian; Ming Zhang; Guoying Wei; Eakalak Khan; Yun Hau Ng; Yong Sik Ok

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2020.126806

Recent advances in photodegradation of antibiotic residues in water

Chem Eng J. 2021 Feb 1:405:126806. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2020.126806. Epub 2020 Aug 31.

Authors

Xiuru Yang¹, Zhi Chen¹, Wan Zhao¹, Chunxi Liu¹, Xiaoxiao Qian¹, Ming Zhang², Guoying Wei¹, Eakalak Khan³, Yun Hau Ng⁴, Yong Sik Ok⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Materials and Chemistry, China Jiliang University, 258 Xueyuan Street, Xiasha Higher Education Zone Hangzhou, 310018, China.
² Department of Environmental Engineering, China Jiliang University, 258 Xueyuan Street, Xiasha Higher Education Zone Hangzhou, 310018, China.
³ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA.
⁴ School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
⁵ Korea Biochar Research Center, APRU Sustainable Waste Management & Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.

Abstract

Antibiotics are widely present in the environment due to their extensive and long-term use in modern medicine. The presence and dispersal of these compounds in the environment lead to the dissemination of antibiotic residues, thereby seriously threatening human and ecosystem health. Thus, the effective management of antibiotic residues in water and the practical applications of the management methods are long-term matters of contention among academics. Particularly, photocatalysis has attracted extensive interest as it enables the treatment of antibiotic residues in an eco-friendly manner. Considerable progress has been achieved in the implementation of photocatalytic treatment of antibiotic residues in the past few years. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent developments on this important topic. This review primarily focuses on the application of photocatalysis as a promising solution for the efficient decomposition of antibiotic residues in water. Particular emphasis was laid on improvement and modification strategies, such as augmented light harvesting, improved charge separation, and strengthened interface interaction, all of which enable the design of powerful photocatalysts to enhance the photocatalytic removal of antibiotics.

Keywords: Advanced materials; Clean water and sanitation; Green and sustainable remediation; High-performance photocatalyst; Reaction mechanisms for photodegradation.

Publication types

Review