Study on the Degradation Performance of Novel Molecularly Imprinted Nd-TiO2 for Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride

Introduction: The objective of the study was to synthesize a novel photocatalyst, referred to as molecularly imprinted Nd-TiO2 (MIP-Nd-TiO2), through the sol-gel method. It rapidly identifies and breaks down oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC). Method: By manipulating the doping ratio of Nd, incorporating imprinted molecules, and regulating the calcination conditions, the molar ratio of Ti to Nd was optimized to 100:1.25, the mass of added OTC was maintained at 0.15 g, and MIP-Nd-TiO2 was synthesized by calcining it for 2 h at 500°C, which had the best degradation performance. Furthermore, the impact of these variables on the photocatalytic efficiency of the MIP-Nd- TiO2 catalysts was thoroughly investigated by varying the concentrations of pollutants and pH. The materials underwent evaluation employing precise characterization techniques, including, XPS, BET, and FT-IR among others. Results: The findings from the photocatalytic experiments revealed that the degradation rates of OTC by MIP-Nd-TiO2 consisted of 91.97%. During the degradation process, the ·O2- actives play a major role. Conclusion: To conclude, this study has illustrated the viability of employing photocatalysis and molecular imprinting in tandem, which can be an extremely efficient technique for treating OTC in wastewater.