Design of High-Performance Molecular Imprinted Magnetic Nanoparticles-Loaded Hydrogels for Adsorption and Photodegradation of Antibiotics from Wastewater
Giusy Curcuruto,
Andrea A. Scamporrino,
Roberta Puglisi,
Giuseppe Nicotra,
Gianfranco Sfuncia,
Giuliana Impellizzeri,
Sandro Dattilo,
Anne Kahru,
Mariliis Sihtmäe,
Villem Aruoja,
Irina Blinova,
Sabrina Carola Carroccio
Affiliations
Giusy Curcuruto
Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials CNR-IPCB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
Andrea A. Scamporrino
Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials CNR-IPCB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
Roberta Puglisi
Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials CNR-IPCB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
Giuseppe Nicotra
Institute for Microelectronics and Microstructures CNR-IMM, Zona Industriale Strada VIII, 5, 95121 Catania, Italy
Gianfranco Sfuncia
Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
Giuliana Impellizzeri
Institute for Microelectronics and Microstructures CNR-IMM, Via Santa Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
Sandro Dattilo
Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials CNR-IPCB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
Anne Kahru
Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia
Mariliis Sihtmäe
Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia
Villem Aruoja
Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia
Irina Blinova
Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia
Sabrina Carola Carroccio
Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials CNR-IPCB, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
A hydrogel formulation of 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (HEMA) containing covalently linked magnetite nanoparticles was developed to actively facilitate the selective removal and photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics. To this purpose, the hybrid materials were molecularly imprinted with Lomefloxacin (Lome) or Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), achieving a selectivity of 60% and 45%, respectively, starting from a solution of XX concentration. After the adsorption, the embedded magnetite was used with the double function of (i) magnetically removing the material from water and (ii) triggering photo-Fenton (PF) reactions assisted by UVA light and H2O2 to oxidize the captured antibiotic. The success of the material design was confirmed by a comprehensive characterization of the system from chemical–physical and morphological perspectives. Adsorption and degradation tests demonstrated the material’s ability to efficiently degrade Lome until its complete disappearance from the electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra. Regeneration tests showed the possibility of reusing the material for up to three cycles. Ecotoxicological tests using algae Rapidocelis subcapitata, crustaceans Daphnia magna, and bacteria Vibrio fischeri were performed to evaluate the ecosafety of our synthesized materials.
