Heroldinho Arieveali, Tarmizi Taher, Najma Annuria Fithri, Nur Ahmad, Aldes Lesbani
Pharmaceutical wastewater contains persistent contaminants that are difficult to remove using conventional treatment methods, with norfloxacin (NOR) being a representative antibiotic of concern. In this work, a ZnAl/ZnO heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method, providing a rapid and efficient strategy for constructing LDH-based heterostructures. The synthesized catalysts were explored in terms of their phase, optical properties, morphology, composition, and charge separation efficiency using XRD, FTIR, UV–Vis DRS, raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDX, photoluminescence, and EIS. In addition, this study investigated the impact of various parameters such as pH, irradiation time, initial NOR concentration, temperature, catalyst dose, illumination intensity, and H2O2 oxidant concentration on the efficiency of NOR molecule destruction. The synergistic ZnAl/ZnO–H2O2 system achieved a NOR degradation efficiency of 90.42 % within 120 min under UV irradiation (pH 8, 1 g.L−1 catalyst, 60 mg.L−1 NOR, 60 °C), with suppressed charge recombination and high H2O2 utilization efficiency. The introduction of ZnO into ZnAl can create a rod-like structure with high structural stability, enabling it to withstand up to five cycles and degrade NOR 1.89 times faster with •O2ˉ acting as the dominant reactive species. Therefore, considering its satisfactory photocatalytic performance, the innovative synthesis approach and the combination of ZnAl/ZnO with H2O2 is an appropriate choice for treating contaminated water due to its high degradation efficiency and robust composite structure. © 2026 Elsevier B.V.
Master Program of Materials Science, Graduate School, Universitas Sriwijaya, Palembang, 30139, Indonesia; Research Center of Inorganic Materials and Coordination Complexes, Universitas Sriwijaya, Palembang, 30139, Indonesia; Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Infrastructure and Regional Technology, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Center for Green and Sustainable Materials, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sriwijaya, Ogan Ilir, 30862, Indonesia; Research Center for Catalysis, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Tangerang Selatan, Serpong, 15314, Indonesia