Efficient degradation of tetracycline antibiotics using a novel rGO/Ag/g-C3N4 photocatalyst for hospital wastewater treatment

This study focuses on the development of an efficient photocatalyst for degrading hospital wastewater, specifically targeting the degradation of the antibiotic tetracycline (TC). We introduce a novel 2D/2D heterostructure photocatalyst composed of graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN), functionalized with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The primary aim is to enhance the photocatalytic performance of g-CN through the synergistic effects of Ag NPs and rGO. The rGO/Ag/g-CN nanocomposites demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic activity, achieving over 97% TC degradation within 60 min under commercial LED light irradiation. Additionally, these photocatalysts were used to remove other antibiotics, such as doxycycline hydrochloride and ofloxacin, and it was observed that the nanocomposite effectively removed these antibiotics as well. This enhanced performance is attributed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects of Ag NPs and the electron sink properties of rGO, which were confirmed through comprehensive physicochemical characterization. Various concentrations of Ag NPs and rGO were tested to optimize the nanocomposite synthesis, with optical and electrical characterizations, including photoluminescence (PL), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Mott-Schottky (M-S) measurements, revealing higher electron-hole pair generation rates and carrier concentrations in the rGO/Ag/g-CN nanocomposites compared to pristine g-CN, Ag/g-CN, and rGO/g-CN. The results demonstrate the potential of the rGO/Ag/g-CN photocatalyst as a cost-effective and scalable solution for the treatment of medical pollutants in wastewater.