Investigating the Efficiency of the Sonophotocatalytic Process using Iron Magnetite Nanoparticles in the Removal of Ciprofloxacin from Aqueous Solutions

Introduction: The presence of antibiotic residues in the environment has raised a global concern today, and the need to control their discharge is also considered an unavoidable issue. This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of a combined sonophotocatalytic process in the presence of magnetic iron nanoparticles for the degradation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin from aqueous environments. Method: This research was an experimental study that was carried out on a laboratory scale and at room temperature. For this purpose, the effect of changes in the concentration of peroxydisulfate and the dose of magnetic nanoparticles, contact time, initial antibiotic concentration, and pH were investigated under ultrasonic and ultraviolet waves. Finally, the concentration of antibiotic ciprofloxacin was analyzed by spectrophotometer, and the variations in chemical oxygen demand (COD) were examined. Then, the characterization of nanoparticles was carried out. Results: According to the results obtained, the highest removal rate of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin was observed at pH=7, the amount of magnetic nanoparticles was 0.3 g/L, the concentration of persulfate was 4 mM, and the antibiotic concentration was 10 mg/L. In the aforementioned optimal conditions, the removal efficiency of ciprofloxacin was 92.5%, and the COD removal rate was 79.8%. Conclusion: According to the experiments, the sonophotocatalyst process, along with the use of magnetic nanoparticles, is an effective method for the reduction of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Therefore, due to its high removal efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and simple operation, the use of this process is recommended for the removal of organic and resistant contaminants from aqueous solution