SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ZnS NANOCRYSTALS AND ITS PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY ON ANTIBIOTICS

ZnS nanocrystals were synthesized via hydrothermal process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), Ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR). The results indicated that the obtained ZnS nanocrystals are cubic sphalerite with little partical size and good dispersity. Under UV light irradiation and controlling the experimental conditions, the photocatalytic activity of ZnS nanocrystals was evaluated by degradation of tetracycline (TC). Various factors have been compared through a series of experiments, and the optimal reaction condition has been found out. Additionally, the photocatalytic activity of recycled ZnS decreased with the increasing runs of recycling. Finally, the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of ZnS nanocrystals was proposed and the photocatalytic degradation pathway of TC was analysed. Overall, the ZnS photocatalysis was found to be a promising process for removing TC from wastewater.