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Electrochemical removal of a pharmaceutical pollutant from aqueous solution using Ti/nano ZnO-Bi2O3 modified electrode

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Abstract

This research investigates the utilization of a modified Ti/nano ZnO-Bi2O3 electrode for the electrochemical advanced oxidation-based removal of a pharmaceutical pollutant from an aqueous solution. To analyze the surface properties of Ti/nano ZnO, Ti/nano Bi2O3, and Ti/nano ZnO-Bi2O3 electrodes made using electrophoretic deposition, various analytical methods were used. These methods included X-ray diffraction analysis, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of ZnO nanoparticles and Bi2O3 nanoparticles in a layer that is uniformly coated on the Ti/nano ZnO-Bi2O3 electrode. Beside linear sweep voltammetry and Tafel plots confirmed the increased stability and electrocatalytic activity of the modified electrode compared to the initial electrode. Chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry verified the stability and better conductivity of the nanocomposite electrode, and according to electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, charge transfer in the modified electrode has improved by 87%. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Ciprofloxacin removal process by considering factors, such as pH in the range of 3–11, electrolyte concentration in the range of 1–7 g L−1, and current density in the range of 1.2–5.75 mA cm−2. We selected Ciprofloxacin as the specific pollutant for evaluating pollutant removal from aqueous solutions due to its widespread use and presence in the environment. We determined the optimal parameter values to be 6.25 mA cm−2, 5, and 3 g L−1. Under these optimal conditions, the efficiency of ciprofloxacin removal reached 96.33% within 300 min.

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Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Abbreviations

BDD:

Boron-doped diamond

Bi2O3 :

Bismuth trioxide

CIP:

Ciprofloxacin

CPE:

Constant phase element

DMF:

N, N-Dimethylformamide

DSA:

Dimensionally stable anode

EDS:

Energy-dispersive spectroscopy

EIS:

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

EAOPs:

Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes

FESEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

LSV:

Linear sweep voltammetry

MMO:

Mixed metal oxide

OER:

Oxygen evolution reaction

OH°:

Hydroxyl radicals

OFAT:

One-factor-at-a-time

pDNB:

Para-Dinitrobenzene

Rct:

Charge transfer resistance

Rs:

Solution resistance

Ti:

Titanium

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

ZnO:

Zinc oxide

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Semnan University of Seman, Iran for financial and other supports.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Semnan, Semnan, Iran

    Sara Rezaei & Farideh Nabizadeh Chianeh

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  1. Sara Rezaei
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FNC: supervision; validation; formal analysis; and writing—review and editing SR: investigation; methodology; and data curation; writing—original draft.

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Correspondence to Farideh Nabizadeh Chianeh.

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Rezaei, S., Nabizadeh Chianeh, F. Electrochemical removal of a pharmaceutical pollutant from aqueous solution using Ti/nano ZnO-Bi2O3 modified electrode. J Appl Electrochem (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-024-02128-6

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