Sunlight-assisted oxidative degradation of cefixime antibiotic from aqueous medium using TiO2/nitrogen doped holey graphene nanocomposite as a high performance photocatalyst

Abstract

Innovative, nanotechnology-based remedies for the wastewater treatment processes are gaining momentum in recent years. Of particular interest is the containment of the environmental threat due to the contamination of water bodies by antibiotics, which can eventually lead to the proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria, causing grave concern to humanity. Herein we report a straightforward and simple method for the sunlight-assisted oxidative degradation of the antibiotic cefixime using a nanocomposite of TiO2 and nitrogen-doped holey graphene (TiO2/NHG) as a highly effective photocatalyst. Of the various catalysts tested TiO2/NHG is found to be superior towards the oxidative degradation of cefixime. The effect of various reaction parameters and presence of H2O2 are studied. The present methodology offers good scale-up possibilities.