Synergetic effect of adsorption-photocatalysis by GO−CeO2nanocomposites for photodegradation of doxorubicin
By Abbasi, M. Ali; Amin, Khaled M.; Ali, Mubarak; Ali, Zulqurnain; Atif, Muhammad; Ensinger, Wolfgang; Khalid, Waqas
Published in Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
2022
Abstract
The photodegradation of DOX is investigated by adsorption-photocatalysis synergy. Graphene oxide - cerium oxide (GO−CeO2) nanocomposites have been synthesized and their structural, optical, and morphological properties are investigated. The synthesized GO−CeO2nanocomposites are highly crystalline and exhibit lower optical bandgap energy of 3.2 eV, a narrow particle size distribution of 7–11 nm. The UV–Vis spectroscopy data suggests that 97% of DOX is removed within 360 min by the adsorption-photocatalysis synergy. The pH of the DOX solution widely affected the removal process; neutral and alkaline conditions of pH supported the degradation process. GO−CeO2 nanocomposites exhibited preferable performance stability and retained the removal efficiency even after the fifth cycle of removal. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the GO−CeO2is attributed to the lower bandgap energy and interfacial charge transfer at the heterojunction of GO matrix and anchored CeO2nanoparticles. Furthermore, the degradation of DOX in presence of co-existing ions and organic dyes was also studied. The influence of coexisting ions showed higher order of removal efficiency for monovalent ions as compare to divalent ions. Similarly, within the presence of cationic dye, the removal process of DOX was found prominent. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis confirmed 99.8% removal efficiency in 420 min which indicates complete eradication of DOX without any secondary pollution. Hence, the GO−CeO2a photocatalytic adsorbent with higher stability and recyclability would provide a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach for the mitigation of DOX without any secondary toxic metabolites.