Photocatalytic degradaton of Sulfathiazole using nanosized CdO in aqueous solution

Template synthesis is a powerful method for the preparation of nanoscale materials with specific size and shape. Cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles were synthesized by using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Cd(OAc)2.2H2O and sodium hydroxide as starting materials. The sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD pattern proves that the final product has cubic phase and the particle size diameter of the nanoparticles are 36.4 nm. The SEM was used for direct visualization of the size and shape of the nanoparticles. The morphology of the CdO was found nanospherical. Antibiotics are a major class of drugs included in the designation of emerging contaminants, representing a high risk to natural ecosystems. We studied the degradation of Sulfathiazole antibiotic by nanosized CdO under ultraviolet irradiation. Various experimental parameters such as initial Sulfathiazole (STZ) concentrations, initial CdO concentration and initial pH were investigated. According to the results this method can be good performance in removal of Sulfathiazole.