Pharmaceutically Active Compounds Degradation Using Doped TiO2 Functionalized Zeolite Photocatalyst

The aim of this study was the investigation of photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutically active compounds using doped TiO2 functionalized zeolite photocatalyst. Diclofenac (DCF), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, that represents a biorefractory micropollutant, was chosen as model of pharmaceutically active compound. The photocatalyst was Z-TiO2-Ag. The concentration of DCF in the working solutions was 10 mg/L, 50 mg/L, 100 mg/L and 200 mg/L and of photocatalyst 1 g/L in any experiments. The process was monitored by recording the UV spectra of the treated solutions and total organic carbon (TOC) determination. The UV spectra analysis and TOC removal proved that along the advanced degradation of DCF also a mineralization process occurred. The carried out research provided useful information envisaging the treatment of pharmaceutical effluents by photocatalysis.