title: Sonocatalysis of a sulfa drug using neodymium-doped lead selenide nanoparticles.
abstract: Undoped and Nd-doped PbSe nanoparticles with different Nd contents were successfully synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method. The prepared nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. Catalytic efficiency of undoped and Nd-doped PbSe samples was evaluated by monitoring the removal of sulfasalazine (SSZ) in aqueous solution under ultrasonic irradiations (sonocatalytic removal process). It was found that the presence of the K2S2O8 accelerated the sonocatalytic removal of SSZ, but the presence of NaF, Na2SO4, NaCl, and NaHCO3 obstructed it. The removal efficiency of 30.24% for PbSe and 86% for 12% Nd-doped PbSe was achieved at 90 min of reaction time, in the presence of peroxydisulfate. Also, the effect of operational parameters on the sonocatalytic removal efficiency and the dominant sonocatalytic removal mechanism were completely examined. It was found that removal of SSZ by sonocatalytic process was completed by the action of reactive oxygen species (ROS) rather than pyrolysis. An ecotoxicological test using an aquatic plant Lemna minor (L. minor) confirmed the negligible toxicity of the synthesized samples, which makes these nanoparticles appropriate for use as a sonocatalyst.
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-16471 Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: a_khataee@tabrizu.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khataee
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-16471 Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arefi-Oskoui
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-16471 Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Atefeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-16471 Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrangiz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fathinia
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 712-749 Gyeongsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Younes
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanifehpour
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 712-749 Gyeongsan, South Korea. Electronic address: swjoo@yu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Joo
keywords: Nanocatalyst; PbSe nanomaterials; Phytotoxicity; Sonocatalysis; Sonocatalyst; Sulfa drugs