Evaluation of flumequine antibiotic removal from synthetic aqueous media using US / Fe-doped TiO2 process

The use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine and medical applications has increased widely and the possibility of contamination of water sources with such compounds has increased which causes adverse effects such as increased bacterial resistance and digestive disorders. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use the ultrasonic process with Fe-doped TiO2 nano-particle in the Removal of flumequine.

The present study was an experimental-laboratory study conducted as a batch system. nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol-gel method and SEM, XRD, and DRS analyzes were used to determine the properties of nanoparticles. The effect of different variables including pH (3-11), initial concentration of flumequine (25-75 mg/L), and concentration of nanoparticles (200-600 mg/L) at different times (15-60 min) Was examined in sonocatalytic removal of flumequine. 

The results of this study showed that the maximum removal efficiency of flumequine was 96.5 % at pH 3, initial concentration of 25 mg/L, and a nanoparticle dose of 600 mg/L, a reaction time of 60 minutes was obtained using ultrasonic waves with a constant frequency of 35 kHz.

Due to the high removal efficiency of sonocatalytic process, the use of this process for the removal of flumequine in water and wastewater treatment processes is recommended.