A Sustainable Approach in the Removal of Pharmaceuticals: The Effects of Operational Parameters in the Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline with MXene/ZnO Photocatalysts

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a vital semiconductor that is widely used for a wide variety of purposes. It is known that this material has a wide bandgap, and this property makes it sensitive to UV radiation. This way, ZnO nanoparticles can be used as photocatalysts in various processes and exhibit excellent catalytic activity. This study aims to produce a new and effective catalyst by combining ZnO nanoparticles used as photocatalysts with MXene, a two-dimensional material. MXenes have a great potential in terms of environmental sustainability. MXenes offer a wide range of sustainable solutions, from energy storage to water treatment, carbon capture to environmentally friendly electronics. The studies carried out for this purpose were carried out in two stages. In the first part, the composite particle was synthesized. In the second part, the produced composite was used as a photocatalyst in the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline, an endocrine disruptor commonly encountered in wastewater. Optimum conditions were determined for operational parameters such as catalyst dosage, pollutant concentration, pH, irradiation time, light intensity, and temperature, which have the potential to affect the process efficiency significantly. The experiments conducted under optimum conditions determined that the organic pollutant in the solution was removed entirely.