Hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide nanospheres with sodium alginate as template and its photocatalytic application for degradation of diclofenac and chloramphenicol

ZnO nanospheres of average diameter of 5.0±0.2 nm have been prepared by simple hydrothermal method using sodium alginate as a template. The prepared ZnO nanospheres are characterized by XRD, TEM, EDX and fluorescence spectra. The photodegradation of the drugs diclofenac (DCF) and chloramphenicol (CHL) are studied in presence of UV light of wavelength 365 nm. Formation of wurtzite structure of ZnO nanospheres is confirmed by XRD analysis. The decrease in intensity of fluorescence emission spectra of the nanospheres indicated the interaction between the drug molecules and the excited species. The peroxide radicals and the hydroxyl radicals formed due to electron and the hole further affect the degradation of the drug molecules. The TOC content of DCF and CHL is reduced to 12.8% and 6.8% after 180 min under the conditions of the reaction.