Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>-Zeolite Hybrid Material as Hetero-Fenton Catalyst for Enhanced Degradation of Aqueous Ofloxacin Solution

A hetero-Fenton catalyst comprising of Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> nanoparticles loaded on zeolite (FeZ) has been synthesized using a facile co-precipitation method. The catalyst was characterized using various characterization methods and then, subsequently, was used to degr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alamri Rahmah Dhahawi Ahmad, Saifullahi Shehu Imam, Wen Da Oh, Rohana Adnan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
Series:Catalysts
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/10/11/1241
Description
Summary:A hetero-Fenton catalyst comprising of Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> nanoparticles loaded on zeolite (FeZ) has been synthesized using a facile co-precipitation method. The catalyst was characterized using various characterization methods and then, subsequently, was used to degrade ofloxacin (OFL, 20 mg/L), an antibiotic, via a heterogeneous Fenton process in the presence of an oxidizing agent. The effects of different parameters such as Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> loading on zeolite, catalyst loading, initial solution pH, initial OFL concentration, different oxidants, H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> dosage, reaction temperature, and inorganic salts were studied to determine the performance of the FeZ catalyst towards Fenton degradation of OFL under different conditions. Experimental results revealed that as much as 88% OFL and 51.2% total organic carbon (TOC) could be removed in 120 min using the FeZ catalyst. Moreover, the FeZ composite catalyst showed good stability for Fenton degradation of OFL even after five cycles, indicating that the FeZ catalyst could be a good candidate for wastewater remediation.
ISSN:2073-4344