| Sep 08, 2025 |
New hybrid nanomaterial cleans wastewater of stubborn antibioticsResearchers create a nanocomposite that removes 95% of antibiotics from water, offering a sustainable tool against drug pollution and antimicrobial resistance.(Nanowerk News) Antibiotics used in animal farming are slipping into rivers and lakes, where they endanger aquatic life and fuel the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. Drugs like sulfamethoxazole, oxytetracycline, and enrofloxacin often survive wastewater treatment, since conventional methods are either too weak or too expensive to deploy on a large scale. |
| A research team at National Taiwan University has designed a new material that could change that. Their hybrid nanocomposite, reported in Chemical Engineering Journal ("Facile synthesis of 2D “GO”-TiO₂ @biochar hybrid nanocomposites for synergistic adsorption and photocatalytic elimination of veterinary antibiotics from livestock effluents"), merges two clean-up strategies—adsorption and photocatalysis—into a single system. |
| The team combined graphene oxide, biochar, and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) to create a porous, high-surface-area material that attracts antibiotics and then breaks them down under ultraviolet light. Imaging and spectroscopy confirmed the structure’s stability and functionality, while performance tests showed striking results: the composite removed over 95 percent of antibiotics in water and maintained nearly 90 percent of its efficiency after multiple uses. |
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| The graphene oxide biochar TiO₂ nanocomposite introduces a novel multifunctional design, integrating adsorption and photocatalysis for efficient and reusable wastewater treatment. (Image: National Taiwan University) (click on image to enlarge) |
| The process works in two steps. First, the antibiotics gather on the biochar-graphene oxide surface. Then, light-activated TiO₂ nanoparticles degrade them into harmless byproducts. This synergy gives the composite an edge over conventional single-function materials, with enhanced light absorption, electron transfer, and catalytic activity. |
| The researchers say the design offers a scalable, durable, and sustainable way to protect waterways from pharmaceutical waste. “This research demonstrates a pioneering route to safeguard water resources from pharmaceutical pollution,” says Prof. Shang Lien Lo, the study’s corresponding author. |
| Source: National Taiwan University (Note: Content may be edited for style and length) |
