Photodegradation of cytostatic drugs by g-C3N4: Synthesis, properties and performance fitted by selecting the appropriate precursor

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was synthetized by a one-step thermal method from different N-rich precursors, namely melamine, dicyandiamide, urea, thiourea and cyanamide. The structure, optical physicochemical properties of g-C3N4 materials were studied transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) Raman spectroscopy, among others. Both melamine dicyandiamide provided less porous structure composed large flake sheets, whereas urea favoured small flat sheets wrinkles with larger porosity. establishment more condensed networks reduced band gap also evidenced for while melem or melon structures. photoactivity the assessed removal an aqueous solution containing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cyclophosphamide (CP) mixture both cytostatic drugs, under near UV-Vis solar-LED irradiations. best performing photocatalysts irradiation, those prepared (kapp = 14.6 × 10–2 min–1 5-FU) 2.5 CP), most active irradiation 0.183 5-FU). In addition, CP resistant to be degraded than 5-FU, competitive effect generated hydroxyl radicals when pollutant molecules in same solution. justified combination various effects: (i) surface area, (ii) well-connected structures (iii) high C/N ratios nitrogen vacancies.