Photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin using CuFe2O4@methyl cellulose based magnetic nanobiocomposite

Abstract

Herein, magnetically separable CuFe2O4@methyl cellulose (MC) as a novel magnetic nanobiocomposite photocatalyst was synthesized with a facile, rapid, green, and new microwave-assisted method. After that, CuFe2O4@MC was characterized with FESEM, EDS, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and VSM techniques. To measure CuFe2O4@MC photocatalytic activity, ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal ability of CuFe2O4@MC was investigated under the conditions such as initial CIP concentrations (3, 5, 7, and 9 mg/L), pHs (3, 7, and 11), photocatalyst loadings (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 g), and irradiation time (15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 min). Kinetic process was evaluated with the pseudo-first order and the Langmuir-Hinshelwood models. CIP concentration was measured with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The maximum CIP removal efficiency in the optimal conditions which contained pH = 7, CIP initial concentration of 3 mg/L, photocatalyst loading of 0.2 g, and at irradiation time 90 min was achieved 72.87 % and 80.74 % from real and synthetic samples, respectively. Also, COD removal efficiency in the optimal conditions was achieved 68.26 %. Furthermore, the CuFe2O4@MC reusability and chemical stability were examined and 73.78 % of CIP was degraded after the fourth cycle.Advantages of this technique were as follows:•CuFe2O4@MC as a new nanobiomagnetic photocatalyst was synthesized with a facile, fast, and green method and were characterized with FESEM, EDS, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and VSM techniques.•Ferromagnetic property and pure-phase spinel ferrites of CuFe2O4@MC were confirmed and significant photocatalytic activity of CuFe2O4@MC was observed.•Easily gathering, reusability and good chemical stability were interests of this nanobiomagnetic photocatalyst.