Hybridization of nanofiltration and photocatalysis via functionalized graphene quantum dot-blended membranes for the degradation and removal of amoxicillin

IF 6.9 3区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL

Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers Pub Date : 2026-06-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-02 DOI:10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106594

D S Divyadharshini , S. Aparna , Nitish Kumar , G. Arthanareeswaran , R.V. Mangalaraja

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Abstract

Background

Antibiotic contaminants in wastewater have emerged as a critical environmental concern due to their persistence and ability to promote antimicrobial resistance in natural microbial communities. Among advanced treatment strategies, photocatalytic degradation offers a solution by breaking them into harmless byproducts, though challenges like poor stability and catalyst recovery remain

Methods

This study explores the UV-driven photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin using polyethersulfone (PES) membranes blended with N,S-doped graphene quantum dots (N,S-GQDs) prepared via phase inversion. The membranes were characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD, AFM, and tensile strength analysis and photocatalytic performance was further evaluated to assess their degradation efficiency.

Significant Findings

The quantum dots incorporated membrane exhibited a reduced water contact angle of 47.7°, indicating enhanced hydrophilicity and water flux. DRS analysis revealed that incorporating N,S-GQDs effectively reduce the bandgap and enhanced its overall optical activity. The superior performance of N,S-GQDs is attributed to their structural properties, which facilitate efficient interaction between the photocatalyst and pollutants. Amoxicillin degradation was systematically evaluated under varying pH [3–11], catalyst loading, and cycle numbers, with maximum efficiency achieved at pH 11. The hybrid membrane showed a flux recovery ratio (FRR) of 78% after AMX treatment, confirming its enhanced antifouling capability compared to pristine PES.

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功能化石墨烯量子点混合膜的纳滤和光催化混合降解和去除阿莫西林

废水中的抗生素污染物由于其持久性和促进天然微生物群落抗菌素耐药性的能力而成为一个关键的环境问题。在先进的处理策略中，光催化降解提供了一种解决方案，即将其分解为无害的副产物，但仍然存在稳定性差和催化剂回收等挑战。方法：本研究利用相转化制备的掺N， s掺杂石墨烯量子点（N,S-GQDs）的聚醚砜（PES）膜，探讨了紫外驱动的阿莫西林光催化降解。通过FTIR、SEM、XRD、AFM、拉伸强度分析等手段对膜进行了表征，并对膜的光催化性能进行了评价。结果表明：量子点掺入膜后的水接触角减小了47.7°，亲水性和水通量增强。DRS分析表明，加入N，S-GQDs可以有效减小带隙，提高其整体光学活性。N，S-GQDs具有优异的性能，其结构特性有利于光催化剂与污染物之间的有效相互作用。在不同的pH[3-11]、催化剂负载和循环次数下，系统地评估了阿莫西林的降解，在pH 11时达到了最高效率。经AMX处理后，杂种膜的通量回收率（FRR）为78%，与原始PES相比，其防污能力有所增强。

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来源期刊

Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 工程技术-工程：化工

CiteScore

9.10

自引率

14.00%

发文量

362

审稿时长

35 days

期刊介绍： Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers (formerly known as Journal of the Chinese Institute of Chemical Engineers) publishes original works, from fundamental principles to practical applications, in the broad field of chemical engineering with special focus on three aspects: Chemical and Biomolecular Science and Technology, Energy and Environmental Science and Technology, and Materials Science and Technology. Authors should choose for their manuscript an appropriate aspect section and a few related classifications when submitting to the journal online.