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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/FWSH/23
Enhanced removal of paracetamol from aqueous solution using UV-C light driven CeO2
composite biochar

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*1
2
1
Gohar Zaman , Noor Samad Shah , Guan Yi Chen , Zhong Lei , Zia ul Haq Khan 1
1 Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari- Campus,
61100 Pakistan
2 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Lab of Engines, Tianjin
University, Tianjin 300072, China
Correspondence: goharzaman@ciitvehari.edu.pk
Abstract

Paracetamol is an important pharmaceutical used for treating different infections and released
in large quantity into aquatic environment leading to serious environmental issues. The removal
of paracetamol from contaminated water is studied using cerium oxide composite biochar
(CeO2/BC) under UV-irradiation. The composite of CeO2/BC is synthesized and used for
treatment of different aqueous solutions of paracetamol and achieved its efficient removal.
Contrary to the CeO2/BC, removal of paracetamol was done by UV-C and biochar alone also
which resulted into lower degradation than CeO2/BC. The CeO2/BC was found to yield a highly
reactive hydroxyl radical which readily react with target contaminant. The hydroxyl radical
was found to react fast with paracetamol. The yield of hydroxyl radical from Ce2O/BC and its
contribution in the removal of paracetamol was verified using alcoholic radical scavengers.
The characterization by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction
spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy
analysis revealed the synthesis of highly stable, highly crystalline, and mesoporous cerium
oxide using biochar. The pH of aqueous solution affected the removal of paracetamol by the
photocatalysts, and removal of paracetamol was inhibited at highly alkaline and acidic pH. A
reasonable degradation pathway was also proposed for paracetamol on the basis of the detected
intermediates. Acute and chronic toxicities of paracetamol as well as its products were
measured. The photocatalyst synthesized in BC was found to be environmentally friendly and
showed significant potential in the remediation of paracetamol.
Keywords: photocatalyst; paracetamol; composite biochar; X-ray diffraction spectroscopy

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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