High Photocatalytic Activity of g-C(3)N(4)/La-N-TiO(2) Composite with Nanoscale Heterojunctions for Degradation of Ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) in natural waters has been taken as a serious pollutant because of its hazardous biological and ecotoxicological effects. Here, a 3D nanocomposite photocatalyst g-C(3)N(4)/La-N-TiO(2) (CN/La-N-TiO(2)) was successfully synthesized by a simple and reproducible in-situ synthetic method. The obtained composite was characterized by XRD, SEM, BET, TEM, mapping, IR, and UV-vis spectra. The photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin was investigated by using CN/La-N-TiO(2) nanocomposite. The main influential factors such as pH of the solution, initial CIP concentration, catalyst dosage, and coexisting ions were investigated in detail. The fastest degradation of CIP occurred at a pH of about 6.5, and CIP (5 mg/L starting concentration) was completely degraded in about 60 min after exposure to the simulated solar light. The removal rates were rarely affected by Na(+) (10 mg·L(−1)), Ca(2+) (10 mg·L(−1)), Mg(2+) (10 mg·L(−1)), and urea (5 mg·L(−1)), but decreased in the presence of NO(3)(−) (10 mg·L(−1)). The findings indicate that CN/La-N-TiO(2) nanocomposite is a green and promising photocatalyst for large-scale applications and would be a candidate for the removal of the emerging antibiotics present in the water environment.