title: Photocatalytic degradation of trimethoprim by metallic nanoparticles supported on TiO2-P25.
abstract: The effect of Au, Ag, Cu and Ni nanoparticles deposited on TiO2-P25 was studied on the photodegradation of trimethoprim, a commonly used antibiotic. The synthesized materials were characterized by ICP, EDS, XRD, BET, UV-vis, TEM and TPR. The metal loading was 0.5 wt.% and the average particle size was about 2 nm in all the studied samples. The deposition of metallic particles on TiO2-P25 produces an enhancement of the activity of the bare semiconductor; when the degradation of trimethoprim was carried out by pure TiO2-P25, the mineralization reached only 50% of the organic matter, while by using metallic nanoparticles deposited on TiO2-P25, the mineralization of organic matter increased up to 80% for the same reaction conditions and reaction time. The evaluation of the photocatalytic activity was made for solutions containing trimethoprim in concentrations of 40 ppm under UV light irradiation using a lamp with primary emission at 254 nm and 2.2 mW/cm(2). It is shown that the ability of the photocatalyst to mineralize trimethoprim depends on the electron affinity and the electronegativity of the deposited metal.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, A.P. 70-186, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P. 04510 México, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Socorro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oros-Ruiz
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zanella
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prado
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000737:chemistry*; D010782:Photolysis; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014295:Trimethoprim; D014025:Titanium
keywords: Gold; Photocatalysis; Silver; TiO(2); Trimethoprim