Multicomponent photocatalysts for synergic removal of antibiotics in aqueous media: a review

Pollution of waste and natural waters by antibiotics is a major health issue that induces the development of resistant pathogens. Pollutant may be removed by photocatalysis, yet classical photocatalysis is limited by the short carrier lifetime. Here, we review multicomponent photocatalysts for the synergic degradation of antibiotics. Components include metallic nanoparticles, semiconductors and adsorbents. The synergy of these components provide photocatalysts with advantages such as extended visible-light range with bandgap energy lower than 2.8 eV, improved charge transfer properties, enhanced adsorption capacity and more active reaction sites. The removal of the antibiotics, based on the decrease of the initial concentration, reaches 80-100%, but mineralization is rarely measured in reports. Proposed mechanisms for the photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics over single and multicomponent photocatalysts are discussed.

Automated summary

This study reviews the application of multicomponent photocatalysts in the synergic degradation of antibiotics. The advantages of multicomponent photocatalysts include extended visible-light range, improved charge transfer properties, and more active reaction sites.