To evaluate the performance of zeolite-supported carbon-doped TiO2 composite catalysts toward target pollutants under solar light irradiation, the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of 18 pharmaceuticals and pesticides with distinguishing features (molecular size and volume, and photolysis) were investigated using mordenite zeolites with SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of 18 and 240. Different quantities of carbon-doped TiO2 were coated on the zeolites, and then the finished composite catalysts were tested in demineralized, surface, and hospital wastewater samples, respectively. The composite photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and surface area and porosity analyses. Results showed that a dispersed layer of carbon-doped TiO2 is formed on the zeolite surface; this layer blocks the micropores of zeolites and reduces their surface area. However, these reductions did not significantly affect adsorption onto the zeolites. Our results demonstrated that zeolite-supported carbon-doped TiO2 systems can effectively degrade 18 pharmaceuticals and pesticides in demineralized water under natural and simulated solar light irradiation. In surface and hospital wastewaters, zeolite-supported carbon-doped TiO2 systems present excellent anti-interference capability against radical scavengers and competitive organics for pollutants removal, and higher pollutants adsorption on zeolites evidently enhances the removal rate of target pollutants in surface and hospital wastewater samples with a complicated matrix. @en

To probe advantages in TiO2/5A zeolite composite system, the photocatalytic degradation and adsorption of the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) by unsupported TiO2 and 5A zeolite coated with 15 mass% TiO2 (15%T5A) under a series of conditions were investigated. The primary adsorption results indicated that 5A had much better adsorptive capability of OTC than TiO2 except at high pH values (pH = 11). A multivariate analysis and a response surface methodology (RSM) were applied to develop a quadratic model as a functional relationship between OTC removal efficiency and the independent variables (the initial pH values and the dosage of the catalyst). The optimal OTC removal conditions found with 15%T5A dosage were 1.00 g/L for pH 5 and 7, 0.80 g/L for pH 9, and 0.68 g/L for pH 11. Under these conditions, the 15%T5A composite photocatalysis showed a quicker OTC removal and degradation speed than unsupported TiO2. Besides, competitive organics like tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), methanol and humid acid, were added during the photocatalytic degradation of OTC by UV + TiO2 and UV + 15%T5A at pH 7. The experimental results indicated that the 15%T5A composite system had a better anti-interference capability of radical scavengers, and humid acid at a low concentration than unsupported TiO2. Moreover, the 15%T5A proved a more stable activity during recycled use and a much quicker sedimentation performance than nano-TiO2. @en