Photocatalytic removal of antacid histamine H2-receptor antagonist Ranitidine

In the present study photocatalytic degradation of an antacid histamine H2-receptor antagonist Ranitidine with TiO2 as photocatalyst under UV irradiation in aqueous solution has been investigated. The efficiency of degradation was optimized by several parameters such as effect of initial concentration, catalyst loading, pH, temperature, irradiation time and addition of H2O2 as a co-oxidant. On optimization of various parameters it was found that almost complete degradation of Ranitidine by TiO2 could be achieved within 70 min for an initial concentration of 0.20 mg/mL of the drug and at a catalyst loading of 0.06 g/L. Study on the effect of electron acceptors reveals that both decolourisation and degradation increase in the presence of the electron acceptor. The maximum degradation efficiency of Ranitidine was achieved with the combination of UV + H2O2 + TiO2 and the optimum concentration of the H2O2 is 0.003 mM. The decolourisation and degradation kinetics was found to follow first-order kinetics according to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) model. The activated energy for the photocatalytic degradation of Ranitidine is 21.28 kJ/mol. Over all photocatalytic degradation of Ranitidine by TiO2 is an effective, economic and faster mode of removing Ranitidine from aqueous solution.