Synthesis, characteristics, and photocatalytic activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles stabilized on the stone surface for degradation of metronidazole from aqueous solution

Background: The presence of antibiotics such as metronidazole in wastewater even at low concentrations requires searching for a suitable process advanced oxidation (AOP) to reduce the level pollutants standard water. Methods: In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal method using sulfate (ZnSO4 ) precursor, then, stabilized on stone and was used catalyst, order degrade photocalytic process. Effective factors removal efficiency including initial concentration, contact time, pH, 0.9 gL-1 ZnO surface investigated. Results: X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies showed that nanomaterials have hexagonal Wurtzite structure. Also, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed average crystalline size particles range 1.9-3.2 nm. spectra represented sharp absorption edge 390 nm corresponding band gap 3.168 eV. BET-BJH specific area 25.504 m2 /g. EDS spectrum four peaks, which identified Zn O. maximum 98.36% synthetic solution under condition (pH = 11, reaction time 90 minutes, concentration gL-1, 10 mgL-1). photocatalytic degradation found follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. Conclusion: Therefore, decomposition are effective materials pharmaceutical contaminants.