In the present investigation photocatalytic degradation of an antibiotic rifabutin in aqueous solution with TiO2 as photocatalyst has been investigated under UV irradiation. The efficiency of degradation was quantified by several parameters such as effect of initial concentration, catalyst loading, pH and addition of H2O2 as a co-oxidant. The effect of operational parameters on the decolourisation and degradation under UV irradiation in TiO2 suspension has been investigated to find out the optimum conditions.

Antibiotics have been considered emerging pollutants due to their continuous input and persistence in the aquatic ecosystem. The present paper addresses the degradation and removal processes applied to a specific class of micropollutants, the antibiotic tetracycline (TETRA). Photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline in aqueous suspensions of titanium dioxide in the presence of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and ultraviolet (UV) illumination was performed in a vertical circulating photocatalytic reactor. The optimum catalyst concentration was about 0.1g/L.