Optimization of Vancomycin Antibiotic Removal from Synthetic and Real Wastewaters Using UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO nanocomposite Photocatalysis: Response Surface Methodology Based on Box-Behnken Design

Rahrovan, Mahsa; Rahmani, Hasan; Rabbani, Davarkhak; Miranzadeh, Mohammad Bagher; Rahimi, Habiballah

doi:10.34172/JHAD.92360

Optimization of Vancomycin Antibiotic Removal from Synthetic and Real Wastewaters Using UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO nanocomposite Photocatalysis: Response Surface Methodology Based on Box-Behnken Design

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mahsa Rahrovan ¹

Hasan Rahmani ¹

Davarkhak Rabbani ¹

Mohammad Bagher Miranzadeh ¹

Habiballah Rahimi ²

¹ Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Ira

² Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Ir

10.34172/JHAD.92360

Abstract

Abstract
Background: Vancomycin (VCM) is a critical antibiotic due to its high consumption and side effects, including increased bacterial
resistance affecting treatment processes. This research investigated the efficiency of VCM antibiotic removal from an aqueous
solution using a UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO integrated process.
Methods: Response surface methodology (RSM) and a Box-Behnken design were applied using Design-Expert software to
optimize the number of samples and simultaneously understand the interactive effects between variables. X-ray diffraction (XRD),
a vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), field effect scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Fourier transform infrared
(FTIR) analyses were used to check the structural characteristics. The effects of initial catalyst concentration (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5
g/L), initial pollutant concentration (10, 30, and 50 mg/L), contact time (10, 30, and 50 minutes), and pH (3, 7, and 11) on VCM
decomposition rate were investigated. Spectrophotometry, total organic carbon (TOC), and GC-MS analyses were used to check
the efficiency of the process.
Results: In this study, VCM and TOC removal efficiency was 92.64% and 85.38%, respectively, under optimal conditions. The
reason for the reduction in the efficiency of the combined UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO process in real raw sewage, after activated sludge
(13%) and after activated sludge and stabilization ponds (24%), is the high COD, which causes the active radicals produced to
be spent on other species instead of the VCM antibiotic.
Conclusion: The current study showed that the UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO process performs well in removing VCM and TOC. In real
wastewater, this efficiency was significantly reduced.

Keywords

Photocatalysis

Vancomycin antibiotic removal

Wastewater

UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO

Response surface methodolog

Subjects