Catalytic ozonation of sulfamethazine antibiotics using Fe 3 O 4 /multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Antibiotics are ubiquitous pollutants which cannot be effectively removed by conventional wastewater treatment processes. In this paper, the catalytic ozonation of sulfamethazine (SMT) by Fe 3 O 4 /multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated, including the effect of pH on degradation kinetics, mineralization, mechanism of SMT degradation, and ozone utilization. The experimental results showed that Fe 3 O 4 /MWCNTs catalyzed ozonation could increase the degradation and mineralization of SMT compared with ozonation alone. Acid condition was more favorable to the degradation and mineralization of SMT than neutral or basic conditions. The adsorption of organic pollutants and ozone onto Fe 3 O 4 /MWCNTs was an important step for SMT degradation. The catalytic ozonation of SMT by Fe 3 O 4 /MWCNTs was dependent on SMT adsorption, ozone decomposition rate and Fe 3 O 4 state. The possible degradation pathways for catalytic ozonation of SMT on the surface of Fe 3 O 4 /MWCNTs were tentatively proposed. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 37: 678–685, 2018