Enhancement in Degradation of Antibiotics Using Photocatalytic Semiconductors under Visible Light Irradiation

Abstract

Industrialization is one of the major causes of water pollution. The presence of contaminants such as antibiotics, pesticides, food additives, and textile dyes in water may cause a threat to human health. In the aquatic systems, antibiotic compounds are present and pollute the water. Complete degradation of antibiotics is not possible after consumption by humans or animals. 50–60% of a single dose of an antibiotic is left unconsumed by the human body, and it is expelled in the form of urine, which reaches water bodies and pollutes them. This leads to bioaccumulation and the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Traditional wastewater treatment methods do not work on water containing antibiotics residues. Thus, there was a need to develop new wastewater treatment methods other than traditional methods. One such method is photocatalysis, which is a sustainable method for water treatment as it is clean, green, economical, and robust. Visible light active semiconductors are catalysts that can cause photodegradation of antibiotics and other organic matter under visible light irradiation. In this mini-review, we have focused on recent advancements in the photodegradation of antibiotics and various ways to make visible light-active semiconductors more efficient and robust.