Photodegradation of Antibiotic Drugs by BiVO4 Nanocomposites

Abstract

BiVO₄ and its composites were prepared and compared with tetracycline hydrochloride, chlortetracycline hydrochloride and hygromycin hydrochloride to simulate the target degradation species for photocatalytic degradation experiments. All the prepared samples were found to have strong degradation effects on the three antibiotics, and the composite photocatalysts GB, PB and PGB showed faster photocatalytic reaction rates and higher photocatalytic activity than the pure BiVO₄. In addition, the degradation of each sample to each antibiotic solution was in accordance with the primary reaction kinetic equation. The UV detection of PGB degradation of antibiotics was also carried out, and the results showed that the catalyst has a strong oxidation ability to degrade antibiotics to small molecules.