Synergistic photocatalytic degradation of moxifloxacin antibiotic using rGO-tuned SnO₂/MnO₂ heterocomposite under visible light

The integrity of the ecological system and the health of people and animals are seriously jeopardized by the intrusion of antibiotic pollution into aquatic habitats. Here, rGO integrated SnO₂/MnO₂ was fabricated using hydrothermal strategy.The rGO/SnO₂/MnO₂ was investigated for the removal of moxifloxacin (MOX) in the presence of visible light. The composite rGO/SnO₂/MnO₂ material demonstrated splendid elimination efficiency by of 87% of MOX detoxification under illumination of the visible light in 120 min. This enhancement in the photodegradation efficiency is devoted to boosted light absorption, enlarged charge separation and the smaller electron and hole recombination. The scavenging experiment indicated that ^.OH plays a significant role in the degradation of MOX, while ^.O₂⁻ and h⁺ exhibit lower efficiency in the photodegradation. The recyclability test reveals higher stability for the composite material. This work provided a practical setup and increased photocatalytic activity for the promising photodegradation of antibiotics from aqueous solution.