Synthesis and photodegradation performance of a heterostructure ferromagnetic photocatalyst based on MWCNTs functionalized with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane and decorated with tungsten trioxide for metronidazole and acetaminophen degradation in aqueous environments

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2024-08, Vol.31 (36), p.49059-49078
• Main Authors: Ghasemzadeh, Maryam Sadat, Ahmadpour, Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetaminophen; Acetaminophen - chemistry; Analgesics; Aquatic environment; Aquatic Pollution; Aqueous environments; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biodegradation; Carbon; carbon nanotubes; Catalysis; Catalytic activity; Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Efficiency; Electron microscopy; energy-dispersive X-ray analysis; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental degradation; Environmental Health; Ferromagnetic materials; ferromagnetism; Field emission microscopy; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Fourier transforms; Heterostructures; High performance liquid chromatography; human health; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; light; Liquid chromatography; Magnetic measurement; Magnetic properties; Metronidazole; Metronidazole - chemistry; Microscopy; Morphology; Multi wall carbon nanotubes; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry; Optical properties; Organic carbon; Oxides - chemistry; Performance degradation; Photocatalysis; photocatalysts; Photodegradation; Photolysis; reflectance spectroscopy; Research Article; Scanning electron microscopy; Spectroscopic analysis; Spectrum analysis; Thermogravimetric analysis; thermogravimetry; Total organic carbon; Transmission electron microscopy; Tungsten; Tungsten - chemistry; tungsten oxide; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollution Control; X-ray diffraction; X-ray spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34405-4

The presence of metronidazole (MNZ) and acetaminophen (ACE) in aquatic environments has raised growing concerns regarding their potential impact on human health. Incorporating various patterns into a photocatalytic material is considered a critical approach to achieving enhanced photocatalytic efficiency in the photocatalysis process. In this study, WO 3 nanoparticles, which were immobilized onto ferromagnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes that were functionalized using (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (FMMWCNTs@GLYMO@WO 3 ), exhibited remarkable efficiency in removing MNZ and ACE (93% and 97%) in only 15 min. In addition, the new visible-light FMMWCNTs@GLYMO@WO 3 nanoparticles as a magnetically separable photocatalyst were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), EDS-mapping, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and total organic carbon (TOC) due to detailed studies (morphological, structural, magnetic and optical properties) of the photocatalyst. In-depth spectroscopic and microscopic characterization of the newly developed ferromagnetic FMMWCNTs@GLYMO@WO₃ ( III ) photocatalyst revealed a spherical morphology, with nanoparticle diameters averaging between 23 and 39 nm. Compared to conventional multiwall carbon nanotube and WO₃ photocatalysts, FMMWCNTs@GLYMO@WO₃ ( III ) demonstrated superior photocatalytic activity. Remarkably, it exhibited excellent reusability, maintaining its efficiency over a minimum of five cycles in the degradation of metronidazole (MNZ) and acetaminophen (ACE). Graphical abstract