Abstract
In this study, a magnetic copper ferrite/montmorillonite-k10 nanocomposite (CuFe2O4/MMT-k10) was successfully fabricated by a simple sol-gel combustion method and was characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the Brunner–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). For levofloxacin (LVF) degradation, CuFe2O4/MMT-k10 was utilized to activate persulfate (PS). Due to the relative high adsorption capacity of CuFe2O4/MMT-k10, the adsorption feature was considered an enhancement of LVF degradation. In addition, the response surface methodology (RSM) model was established with the parameters of pH, temperature, PS dosage, and CuFe2O4/MMT-k10 dosage as the independent variables to obtain the optimal response for LVF degradation. In cycle experiments, we identified the good stability and reusability of CuFe2O4/MMT-k10. We proposed a potential mechanism of CuFe2O4/MMT-k10 activating PS through free radical quenching tests and XPS analysis. These results reveal that CuFe2O4/MMT-k10 nanocomposite could activate the persulfate, which is an efficient technique for LVF degradation in water.
Highlights
In recent years, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), as emerging contaminants, have been detected frequently in the environment, which has caused widespread concern
2O4/montmorillonite k10 (MMT-k10) composite was was investigated investigated by byXRD
Results property of CuFe2 O4 and CuFe2 O4 /MMT-k10 was measured by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM)
Summary
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), as emerging contaminants, have been detected frequently in the environment, which has caused widespread concern. Antibiotics, as one kind of PPCPs, are widely used in the treatment of pathogenic-organism diseases of humans or livestock [1,2]. The long-term discharge of low-dose antibiotics into the environment will lead to the prompted drug resistance of sensitive bacteria. Water 2020, 12, 3583 genes might develop and interfere with environment, posing a potential threat to the ecological environmental security and human health [5]. The traditional water treatment process may not meet the demands of effective removal of antibiotic contamination. It is important to develop an efficient and eco-friendly technique to remove antibiotics in waste water
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
