Removal of Emerging Pollutants from Water Using Environmentally Friendly Processes: Photocatalysts Preparation, Characterization, Intermediates Identification and Toxicity Assessment
Nina Finčur,
Paula Sfîrloagă,
Predrag Putnik,
Vesna Despotović,
Marina Lazarević,
Maria Uzelac,
Biljana Abramović,
Paulina Vlazan,
Cătălin Ianăși,
Tünde Alapi,
Máté Náfrádi,
Ivana Maksimović,
Marina Putnik-Delić,
Daniela Šojić Merkulov
Affiliations
Nina Finčur
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Paula Sfîrloagă
National Institute of Research and Development for Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter, Dr. Aurel Păunescu Podeanu 144, 300569 Timişoara, Romania
Predrag Putnik
Department of Food Technology, University North, Trg dr. Žarka Dolinara 1, 48000 Koprivnica, Croatia
Vesna Despotović
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Marina Lazarević
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Maria Uzelac
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Biljana Abramović
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Paulina Vlazan
National Institute of Research and Development for Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter, Dr. Aurel Păunescu Podeanu 144, 300569 Timişoara, Romania
Cătălin Ianăși
Coriolan Dragulescu “Institute of Chemistry”, 24 Mihai Viteazu Bvd., 300223 Timisoara, Romania
Tünde Alapi
Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 7, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
Máté Náfrádi
Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 7, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
Ivana Maksimović
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Marina Putnik-Delić
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Daniela Šojić Merkulov
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Pharmaceuticals and pesticides are emerging contaminants problematic in the aquatic environment because of their adverse effects on aquatic life and humans. In order to remove them from water, photocatalysis is one of the most modern technologies to be used. First, newly synthesized photocatalysts were successfully prepared using a sol–gel method and characterized by different techniques (XRD, FTIR, UV/Vis, BET and SEM/EDX). The photocatalytic properties of TiO2, ZnO and MgO nanoparticles were examined according to their removal from water for two antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone) and two herbicides (tembotrione and fluroxypyr) exposed to UV/simulated sunlight (SS). TiO2 proved to be the most efficient nanopowder under UV and SS. Addition of (NH4)2S2O8 led to the faster removal of both antibiotics and herbicide fluroxypyr. The main intermediates were separated and identified for the herbicides and antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Finally, the toxicity of each emerging pollutant mixture and formed intermediates was assessed on wheat germination and biomass production.
