Carbamazepine degradation by visible-light-driven photocatalyst Ag3PO4/GO: Mechanism and pathway

Guanhan Chen; Wenyi Dong; Hongjie Wang; Zilong Zhao; Feng Wang; Feifei Wang; Cesar Nieto-Delgado

doi:10.1016/j.ese.2021.100143

Carbamazepine degradation by visible-light-driven photocatalyst Ag₃PO₄/GO: Mechanism and pathway

Environ Sci Ecotechnol. 2021 Dec 20:9:100143. doi: 10.1016/j.ese.2021.100143. eCollection 2022 Jan.

Authors

Guanhan Chen¹, Wenyi Dong^{1

2

3}, Hongjie Wang^{1

2

3}, Zilong Zhao^{1

2}, Feng Wang¹, Feifei Wang¹, Cesar Nieto-Delgado⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China.
² Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, PR China.
⁴ División de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, IPICyT. Camino a la Presa San Jose 2055. San Luis Potosí, SLP 78216, Mexico.

Abstract

Carbamazepine (CBZ), as one of the most frequently detected pharmaceuticals, is of great concern due to its potential impact on the ecosystem and human health. This study provides an effective approach to remove CBZ by using photocatalyst silver phosphate combined with graphene oxide (Ag₃PO₄/GO) under visible irradiation. The morphology, composition, and optical properties of Ag₃PO₄/GO were characterized employing SEM, XRD, and DRS. Graphene oxide could improve the visible-light utilization and promote electron's charge to enhance the photocatalytic performance of Ag₃PO₄/GO. With the optimal reaction condition of 5.86 mW/cm² light intensity, 15-25 °C temperature, 5-7 pH, and 0.5 mg/L catalytic dosages, 5 mg/L CBZ could be completely degraded in 30 min, and the apparent rate constant could reach 0.12 min^-1. Additionally, the radical trapping experiments indicated •OH and O₂-• were the main reactive oxygen species employed to eliminate CBZ. The decay pathways of CBZ had been proposed accordingly, and the main product was the low-molecular products.

Keywords: Ag3PO4/GO; Carbamazepine; Photocatalysis; Visible light.