Photocatalytic Degradation of Ofloxacin in Wastewater Using Mg-Ni Co-doped TiO2 Catalyst

This study focuses on the preparation and characterization of Mg-Ni co-doped TiO2 and its application in the degradation of the pharmaceutical ofloxacin (OFX) under solar irradiation. A wet impregnation method was used to prepare Mg-Ni co-doped TiO2. Characterization, optimization, and kinetic studies revealed that the doped TiO2 material is effective in degrading OFX, with potential applications in water treatment or environmental remediation processes. Ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy indicated that the band gap of TiO2 was reduced due to doping with Mg and Ni. A reduced band gap can enhance the material's photocatalytic properties, which is important for its application in solar-driven degradation processes. The catalyst dose and OFX concentration for the degradation process were optimized. A catalyst dose of 2 g L-1 and an OFX solution with a concentration of 40 ppm, maintained at pH 5, resulted in the highest degradation efficiency. The degradation process followed first-order kinetics, suggesting that the rate of degradation increased with increasing doping.