Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

In situ generation of hydroxyl radicals by B-doped TiO2 for efficient photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen in wastewater

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Acetaminophen (AP) is a widely used antipyretic analgesic belonging to the class of PPCPs, which is difficult to be effectively degraded by traditional water treatment processes. However, photocatalytic technology may be an effective approach. Herein, B-doped TiO2 photocatalytic materials were synthesized by sol–gel method, calcinated at 600℃ for 2 h, investigated by XRD, TEM, XPS, and other characterization methods. The photocatalytic efficiency and factors affecting the photocatalytic activity were assessed by degradation of AP under 365 nm UV light. Compared with undoped TiO2, 4%B-TiO2 nanopowder has smaller grain size, higher porosity, and lower bandgap energy of 3.11 eV. Scavenging experiments and ESR results show that •OH is the principal active species. Hence, the degradation efficiency of AP is as high as 98.8% in 30 min when adopting 10-mg/L AP initial concentration and 1-g/L 4%B-TiO2 loading, owing to efficient •OH generated by B-TiO2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All relevant data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this article.

References

  • Abdelaal MY, Mohamed RM (2013) Novel Pd/TiO2 nanocomposite prepared by modified sol–gel method for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye under visible light irradiation. J Alloy Compd 576:201–207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Akpan UG, Hameed BH (2010) The advancements in sol–gel method of doped-TiO2 photocatalysts. Appl Catal A 375:1–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Almeida F, Nunes B (2019) Effects of acetaminophen in oxidative stress and neurotoxicity biomarkers of the gastropod Phorcus lineatus. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 26:9823–9831

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • BilginSimsek E (2017) Solvothermal synthesized boron doped TiO2 catalysts: photocatalytic degradation of endocrine disrupting compounds and pharmaceuticals under visible light irradiation. Appl Catal B 200:309–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai H, Zhang D, Ma X, Ma Z (2022) A novel ZnO/biochar composite catalysts for visible light degradation of metronidazole. Sep Purif Technol 288:120633

  • Chen X, Peng X, Jiang L, Yuan X, Zhang J, Yu H (2020) Terephthalate acid decorated TiO2 for visible light driven photocatalysis mediated via ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT). Colloids Surf A 603:125188

  • Fan G, Ning R, Yan Z, Luo J, Du B, Zhan J, Liu L, Zhang J (2021) Double photoelectron-transfer mechanism in Ag-AgCl/WO3/g-C3N4 photocatalyst with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity for trimethoprim degradation. J Hazard Mater 403:123964

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ganesh I (2018) Surface, structural, energy band-gap, and photocatalytic features of an emulsion-derived B-doped TiO2 nano-powder. Molecular Catalysis 451:51–65

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hasan N, Moon G-h, Park J, Park J, Kim J (2018) Visible light-induced degradation of sulfa drugs on pure TiO2 through ligand-to-metal charge transfer. Sep Purif Technol 203:242–250

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin X, Wu Y, Lin Z, Liang D, Wang F, Zheng X, Liu H, Lv W, Liu G (2022) Plasmonic Ag nanoparticles decorated copper-phenylacetylide polymer for visible-light-driven photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) and degradation of PPCPs: performance, kinetics, and mechanism. J Hazard Mater 425:127599

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koysuren O, Koysuren HN (2019) Photocatalytic activities of boron doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles and its composite with polyaniline. J Macromol Sci Part B Phys 59:182–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar S, Khanchandani S, Thirumal M, Ganguli AK (2014) Achieving enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalysis using type-II NaNbO3/CdS core/shell heterostructures. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 6:13221–13233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leyva E, Moctezuma E, Baines KM, Noriega S, Zarazua E (2018) A review on chemical advanced oxidation processes for pharmaceuticals with paracetamol as a model compound. Reaction conditions, intermediates and total mechanism. Curr Org Chem 22:2–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li H, Zhang W, Liu Y (2020) HZSM-5 zeolite supported boron-doped TiO2 for photocatalytic degradation of ofloxacin. J Market Res 9:2557–2567

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li W (2015) Influence of electronic structures of doped TiO2 on their photocatalysis. Physica Status Solidi (RRL) - Rapid Res Lett 9:10–27

  • Liu J, Zou Y, Cruz D, Savateev A, Antonietti M, Vile G (2021a) Ligand-metal charge transfer induced via adjustment of textural properties controls the performance of single-atom catalysts during photocatalytic degradation. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 13:25858–25867

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Zhu L, Wang X, Meng X (2020a) Photocatalytic degradation of wastewater by molecularly imprinted Ag2S-TiO2 with high-selectively. Sci Rep 10:1192

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Zhu L, Wang X, Meng X (2020b) One-step synthesis of Ag2S-TiO2 and its photocatalytic degradation of ethyl paraben wastewater. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 27:13590–13598

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Zhu L, Wang X, Meng X, Zhong L (2020c) The photocatalytic selectivity between molecularly imprinted TiO2 and target contaminants. J Nanopart Res 22:300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Xu C, Zhu L, Xie S, Shen S, Wang X (2021b) One-step facile synthesis of shell-pearl structured photocatalysts for efficient removal of selected PPCPs from wastewater. J Environ Chem Eng 9:106758

  • Liu X, Zhou J, Liu D, Li L, Liu W, Liu S, Feng C (2021c) Construction of Z-scheme CuFe2O4/MnO2 photocatalyst and activating peroxymonosulfate for phenol degradation: synergistic effect, degradation pathways, and mechanism. Environ Res 200:111736

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Shen S, Xu C, Li X, Zhu L, Wang X (2022a) Studying photocatalytic dye degradation with bismuth nitrate–derived catalysts using paper microzones method. Mater Today Chem 23:100667

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Xu C, Xiao C, Tang Y, Chen X, Chen Y, Si Y, Zhu L, Wang X (2022b) Insights into the evaluation of photocatalytic quenching experimental results by degrading a dye. Res Chem Intermed 48:2915–2932

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Xu C, Zhu L, Wang X (2022c) Molecular imprinting produces high photoelectric effect facilitating the efficient photocatalytic degradation of salicylic acid by TiO2. React Kinet Mech Catal 135:529–537

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Xia P, Li L, Wang X, Meng J, Yang Y, Guo Y (2020d) In-situ route for the graphitized carbon/TiO2 composite photocatalysts with enhanced removal efficiency to emerging phenolic pollutants. Chin J Catal 41:1378–1392

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loddo V, Bellardita M, Camera-Roda G, Parrino F, Palmisano L (2018) Heterogeneous photocatalysis. Current trends and future developments on (Bio-) membranes, pp. 1–43. Elsevier

  • Meng Y, Hong Y, Huang C, Shi W (2017) Fabrication of novel Z-scheme InVO4/CdS heterojunctions with efficiently enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity. CrystEngComm 19:982–993

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mostafa MMH, Zhang L, Zhu L, Wang X, Tao X, Liu X, Manickam S (2021) Photocatalytic degradation of ethyl paraben wastewater by mixed crystal molecularly imprinted TiO2. E3S Web Conf 261:02025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phong Vo HN, Le GK, Hong Nguyen TM, Bui XT, Nguyen KH, Rene ER, Vo TDH, Thanh Cao ND, Mohan R (2019) Acetaminophen micropollutant: historical and current occurrences, toxicity, removal strategies and transformation pathways in different environments. Chemosphere 236:124391

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qin C, Tang J, Qiao R, Lin S (2022) Tetracycline sensitizes TiO2 for visible light photocatalytic degradation via ligand-to-metal charge transfer. Chin Chem Lett 33:5218–5222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rabhi S, Mahtout L, Bououdina M, Khezami L, Belkacemi H, Kerrami A, Sakher E (2021) Tuning the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 by Ag loading: experimental and modelling studies for the degradation of amlodipine besylate drug. Ceram Int 47:21509–21521

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sin J-C, Lam S-M, Zeng H, Lin H, Li H, Tham K-O, Mohamed AR, Lim J-W, Qin Z (2021) Magnetic NiFe2O4 nanoparticles decorated on N-doped BiOBr nanosheets for expeditious visible light photocatalytic phenol degradation and hexavalent chromium reduction via a Z-scheme heterojunction mechanism. Appl Surf Sci 559:149966

  • Solis-Casados DA, Escobar-Alarcón L, Natividad R, Romero R (2018) Advanced Oxidation Processes II: removal of pharmaceuticals by photocatalysis, ecopharmacovigilance. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Springer, pp. 143–155

  • Tao X, Zhu L, Wang X, Chen X, Liu X (2022) Preparation of Zr/Y co-doped TiO2 photocatalyst and degradation performance of hydroquinone. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 29:40854–40864

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Varma KS, Tayade RJ, Shah KJ, Joshi PA, Shukla AD, Gandhi VG (2020) Photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical and pesticide compounds (PPCs) using doped TiO2 nanomaterials: a review. Water-Energy Nexus 3:46–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vile G, Sharma P, Nachtegaal M, Tollini F, Moscatelli D, Sroka-Bartnicka A, Tomanec O, Petr M, Filip J, Pieta IS, Zboril R, Gawande MB (2021) An earth-abundant Ni-based single-atom catalyst for selective photodegradation of pollutants. Solar Rrl 5(7). https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202100176

  • Vilé G (2021) Photocatalytic materials and light-driven continuous processes to remove emerging pharmaceutical pollutants from water and selectively close the carbon cycle. Catal Sci Technol 11:43–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Wang Y, Li X, He T, Wang R, Zhao Y, Song H, Wang H (2021) 3D/2D Fe2O3/g-C3N4 Z-scheme heterojunction catalysts for fast, effective and stable photo Fenton degradation of azo dyes. J Environ Chem Eng 9:105907

  • Xia L, Yang Y, Cao Y, Liu B, Li X, Chen X, Song H, Zhang X, Gao B, Fu J (2019) Porous N-doped TiO2 nanotubes arrays by reverse oxidation of TiN and their visible-light photocatalytic activity. Surf Coat Technol 365:237–241

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yadav V, Verma P, Sharma H, Tripathy S, Saini VK (2020) Photodegradation of 4-nitrophenol over B-doped TiO2 nanostructure: effect of dopant concentration, kinetics, and mechanism. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 27:10966–10980

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang L, Zhao Y, Liu Y, Zhang W (2019) Sol–gel synthesis of B-TiO2(20%)/HZSM-5 composite photocatalyst for azophloxine degradation. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 93:371–379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye C, Zhang W, Liu Y (2020) Supporting B-TiO2 on iM16K glass bubbles to prepare B–TiO2(x%)/iM16K hollow spheres for ofloxacin degradation. Ceram Int 46:10545–10554

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Zhao L, Chen H, He Y, Tian P, Zeng X (2019) Synthesis of mesoporous Fe/h-CeO2 hollow micro-spheres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity. Mater Res Express 6:099516

  • Zhang M, Lin X, Yi Z, Xu X, Yang J, Zhu M (2023) Enhanced reactive oxidation species generation by ligand-to-metal-charge transfer between oxygen vacancy-rich ZnO mesocrystal with ciprofloxacin pollutants. Appl Catal B 321:122033

  • Zhang W, Liu Y, Xin H (2018) Sol-gel preparation of hollow spherical x%B-TiO2 photocatalyst: The effect of boron content on RBR X-3B decoloration. Curr Nanosci 14:209–215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Cheng Y, Qi H (2022) Synergistic degradation of organic pollutants on CoFe2O4/rGO nanocomposites by peroxymonosulfate activation under LED irradiation. Appl Surf Sci 579:152151

Download references

Funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51672196). This article is also supported by the Graduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fund Project of Wuhan University of Science and Technology (JCX2021016).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Urban Construction, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430065, China

    Caofan Xiao, Xueqi Chen, Xiumei Tao, Xian Liu, Xun Wang & Lei Zhu

Authors
  1. Caofan Xiao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xueqi Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xiumei Tao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xian Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xun Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Lei Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Caofan Xiao conceived, designed the experiments, and wrote the manuscript. Xueqi Chen and Xiumei Tao provided suggestions for the study. Xian Liu supervised the progress of experiments, provided suggestions, and reviewed papers. Xun Wang provided suggestions and financial support. Lei Zhu reviewed the first draft. All authors discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lei Zhu.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

This manuscript does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Sami Rtimi

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Xiao, C., Chen, X., Tao, X. et al. In situ generation of hydroxyl radicals by B-doped TiO2 for efficient photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen in wastewater. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 46997–47011 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25390-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25390-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation