Abstract

Davoud Balarak¹and Shaziya Haseeb Siddiqui^2*

The presence of antibiotics in water sources is a critical concern for public health and environmental safety worldwide. This research investigates the application of CoFe₂O₄@three-dimensional-TiO₂ within a hierarchical porous graphene aerogel (C3DTHPGA), aiming to optimize the removal of Penicillin G (PG) from water.  A total of 17 degradation experiments were carried out based on recommendations from a statistical tool using Design Expert 9.0 software. The structural characteristics of C3DTHPGA were examined using SEM, FTIR, and BET techniques. The specific surface area, total pore volume, and pore diameter of the sample derived from tea waste C3DTHPGA were found to be 95.2 m²/g, 0.12 cm³/g, and 12 nm, respectively, indicating a strong potential for enhanced PG adsorption. The results fit well into a quadratic model, showing a significant p-value of 0.0109 and a high determination coefficient (R²) of 0.991. Optimization through Response Surface Methodology (RSM) achieved a peak PG removal efficiency of 99.5% under optimal conditions involving an initial PG concentration of 50 mg/L, a catalyst weight of 0.6 g, and a contact time of 60 minutes. These outcomes underscore the effectiveness and sustainability of C3DTHPGA as a catalyst for reducing PG contamination in water.

C3DTHPGA; Determination coefficient; Penicillin G; Photocatalytic process; RSM-BBD.

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