Haider Falih Shamikh Al-Saedi - Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Al-Ameed, Iraq
Ola Hamad Salah - Department of Medical Engineering Al-Manara College for Medical Sciences, Maysan, Iraq
Russul Reidh Abass - Al-Farahidi University, College of Medical Technology, Medical Lab, Techniques Department, Baghdad, Iraq
Manal Morad Karim - College of Pharmacy, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
Salima B. Alsaadi - Department of Medical Engineering, Al-Hadi University College, Baghdad, Iraq
Salam Ahjel - Department of Pharmacy, Al-Zahrawi University College, Karbala, Iraq
Zainab Jamal Hamoodah - Department of Medical Engineering, Mazaya University College, Iraq
Rathab Ali Ahmed - Department of Medical Engineering, Al-Nisour University College, Baghdad, Iraq

In this study, we examined the capacity of photocatalytic degradation catalyzed by TiO۲ NPs and ZnO NPs to remove the tetracycline TC drug in different solution pHs (۳–۱۰). TiO۲ NPs and ZnO NPs powders were prepared using the hydrothermal method and characterized via FESEM, TEM, TGA, and XRD. The effects of several method factors, such as weight of photocatalyst (۰.۱-۰.۴ g), concentration of TC drug (۲۵-۱۰۰ mg/L), different pH values (۳-۱۰), and irradiation time, on the removal of TC drug were studied. The photocatalytic degradation capacity of TC drug was fast in the present optimum condition (pH ۱۰) and slower in (pH ۳) of TiO۲ NPs and ZnO NPs; the degradation capacity of the TC drug under UV light decreased with an increasing concentration of TC drug. The photocatalytic degradation capacity of TiO۲ NPs is ۸۱.۳۳%, while the photocatalytic degradation capacity of ZnO NPs is ۹۲.۴۵ %. These data underline the use of effective, eco-friendly, easily available, and low-cost TiO۲ NPs and ZnO NPs as photocatalysts for degrading TC drugs in aqueous solutions. Therefore, as shown by the results, the photocatalytic degradation of the TC drug using zinc oxide nanoparticles is greater than that using TiO۲ nanoparticles.

Tetracycline, Drug, Advanced oxidation processes, ZnO NPs, TiO۲ NPs