Photodegradation of Amoxicillin in Aqueous Systems: A Review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Water Treatment Technologies

Background:

• Rising concentrations of Amoxicillin (AMX) in wastewater pose significant environmental and health risks.
• Photodegradation is a promising method for eliminating AMX and other pharmaceutical pollutants from aquatic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze photodegradation studies (2018-2024) for removing Amoxicillin from aquatic environments.
• To compare the efficacy of TiO2-based and non-TiO2-based nanomaterial catalysts.
• To summarize photolysis methods without nanomaterials.

Main Methods:

• Categorization of studies based on TiO2-containing and non-TiO2-based catalysts.
• Inclusion of photolysis studies using UV irradiation with and without oxidants (H2O2, PS).
• Analysis of various reaction conditions: radiation types, pH, AMX concentration, and additives.

Main Results:

• Titanium dioxide (TiO2) demonstrated superior AMX degradation under UV irradiation.
• TiO2 doped with other nanomaterials showed high efficiency under visible light.
• Tungsten trioxide (WO3) and other metal oxides (Mo, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ce, Ag) were also effective AMX degraders.

Conclusions:

• Photodegradation, particularly using TiO2 and WO3-based nanomaterials, is a highly effective strategy for Amoxicillin removal.
• Optimizing reaction conditions and catalyst composition is crucial for efficient wastewater treatment.
• Further research into visible-light-active catalysts is warranted for sustainable AMX degradation.