Application of Photocatalytic Process Using UV/TiO۲ for Degradation of Cefepime: A Comparison between Photocatalytic and Photolytic

Cephalosporin is a group of β-lactam antibiotics that has a wide antibacterial ability, so its therapeutic use is high. Although much research has been conducted about the fate of antibiotics in an aquatic environment, little investigation has been done about the removal of cephalosporin. In this study, Cefepime, a fourth-generation cephalosporin antibiotic was selected and different tests such as UV/TiO۲, UV, TiO۲ under darkness, and TiO۲ under sunlight were applied to determine whether these methods are effective ways to remove Cefepime from aqueous solutions or not. Different amounts of catalyst and different pHs were used as effective parameters on degradation efficiency and were optimized. The Cefepime removal was measured by HPLC. The mobile phase was comprised of ۱۰:۹۰ Acetonitrile: water with a flow rate of ۱ mL/min. The detected wavelength was ۲۱۲ nm. Maximum removal efficiency (۹۲.۹%) for ۲۰ mg/L Cefepime in neutral pH and catalyst dose of ۷۰ mg/L after ۱۲۰ min irradiation was observed. At the same conditions, the degradation efficiencies for UV, TiO۲ under sunlight, and TiO۲ under darkness were determined ۷۷.۶۵%, ۵۳.۲۴%, and ۱۵.۱۲% respectively. Also, the reaction rate constant was increased from ۰.۰۰۵۴ to ۰.۰۲۷۹ (۱/min) for photolysis and photocatalysis, respectively. This work was economically compared with photolysis and the result showed that the EEO for the UV/TiO۲ process was five times lower than UV processes.UV/TiO۲ process could be an efficient method to successfully remove the Cefepime antibiotic from aqueous solutions.

Keywords:

Cefepime , HPLC , Photolysis , Photocatalysis , Titanium dioxide