Enhanced adsorptional-photocatalytic degradation of chloramphenicol by reduced graphene oxide-zinc oxide nanocomposite

Abstract Improper discharge of waste dry cell batteries and untreated antibiotics laden effluents to the environment pose serious threat to the sustenance of the ecosystem. In this study, synthesis of reduced graphene oxide-ZnO (rGO-ZnO) nanocomposite was achieved via a bioreduction process using waste dry cell battery rod as graphene oxide (GO) precursor. The nanocomposite was applied in the ultraviolet photocatalytic degradation of chloramphenicol (CAP) at 290 nm in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. RGO-ZnO nanocomposite was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, BET and FTIR. TEM image of the nanocomposite revealed a polydispersed, quasi-spherical zinc oxide on a coarse reduced graphene oxide surface. XRD patterns showed sharp, prominent crystalline wurtzite hexagonal phases of ZnO and rGO. BET surface area of the nanocomposite was 722 m 2 /g with pore size of 2 nm and pore volume of 0.4 cc/g. % photo-removal efficiency increased with increasing irradiation time but diminished at higher pH, temperature and CAP concentration. Photocatalytic adsorption process fitted more accurately into the Freundlich model (R 2 = 0.99) indicating a multilayer adsorption mechanism. 92.74% reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) level of veterinary effluent was obtained after treatment with the nanocomposite thus affirming its effectiveness in real waste water samples.