TiO2 thin films for photocatalytic oxidation of pharmaceutical compounds

Abstract

Degradation of amoxicillin was investigated in aqueous solution by photocatalysis on TiO2 thin film under UV (365 nm) radiation. The TiO2 thin film is a pure anatase phase as shown in the X ray diffraction analysis. Enhancement of photocatalysis kinetic rate by addition of NaOH was also evaluated. No significant degradation occurred by UV radiation per se and a low adsorption affinity between the antibiotic molecule and TiO2 surface was observed. pH had a significant effect on antibiotic degradation and the photocatalytic reactions followed a zero-order kinetics and the rate constants (k) were 8.02×10-4 mol L-1 min-1 to 7.45×10-3 mol L-1 min-1 for amoxicillin in pH 6 and 11, respectively.