Solar-Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of Ciprofloxacin Using Magnetic Fe-Doped ZnO Nanocomposite

This work presents the development of a novel magnetic nanophotocatalyst based on iron-doped zinc oxide (magnetic Fe-doped ZnO), designed for the solar-driven degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP), a widely detected antibiotic contaminant in aquatic environments. The synthesized magnetic Fe-doped ZnO composite was thoroughly characterized, revealing a narrowed band gap (~۲.۶۵ eV), enhanced absorption in the visible spectrum, and superparamagnetic properties with a saturation magnetization of ۲۸.۹ emu/g. Under natural sunlight exposure, the catalyst achieved more than ۹۲% degradation of CIP within ۲۰ minutes, following pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. Mechanistic investigations identified superoxide radicals (•O₂⁻) and photogenerated holes (h⁺) as the dominant reactive species. The nanocatalyst also exhibited excellent durability and retained its activity over seven consecutive reuse cycles. These findings highlight the potential of magnetic Fe-doped ZnO as a sustainable, cost-effective, and reusable photocatalyst for solar-assisted wastewater treatment targeting pharmaceutical pollutants.

کلیدواژه ها:

Ciprofloxacin ، Photocatalysis ، Fe-doped ZnO ، Solar Light ، Magnetic Nanoparticles ، Water Treatment