Synthesis approaches to ceramic membranes, their composites, and application in the removal of tetracycline from water

Abstract

A large volume of tetracyclines has been detected in the aquatic environment because of their widespread usage, such as antibiotics. These tetracyclines are absorbed by plants and animals, resulting in various harmful effects that may be seen in physiology and anatomy. Thus, it is necessary to eliminate them from an ambient sample, particularly in water and wastewater. Numerous traditional removal techniques have been researched; however, they each have their setbacks. Due to this, there is a need for alternative methods of tetracycline removal. Photocatalysis has been considered one of the best methods of removing or photodegrading tetracyclines in water because it only requires the use of light and photocatalysts; thus, it is energy efficient. The effectiveness of photocatalysis depends on the adsorption efficiency. Therefore, the ceramic membrane has been considered as a host to different conductor nanoparticles for improving adsorption efficiency and photocatalytic performance. The methods of synthesizing ceramic membranes and composites with different nanoparticles, such as metal oxides, sulphides, and ferrites are discussed. Furthermore, the removal of tetracyclines and the mechanism of the process using the ceramic membranes and their composite with metal oxides, sulphides and ferrites are examined. Other non-membranous materials that have been used for the adsorptive and photocatalytic removal of tetracyclines are discussed. Finally, the future perspectives on removing tetracycline using functionalized membranes are presented.

Keywords

• Tetracycline
• Pharmaceuticals
• Ceramic membrane
• Nanocomposites
• Photodegradation