Hybrid membrane strategy for antibiotic pollution control: Norfloxacin extraction from aquatic and food systems

The aim of this study was to find ways to determine the presence of and ways to remove norfloxacin from aqueous systems and real biological samples. Norfloxacin is an antibiotic belonging to the fluoroquinolone class and is often used in medical and veterinary applications. Due to the persistence in aquatic environments and potential long-term impacts on both ecosystems and human health, these pharmaceuticals of the fluoroquinolone class are analyzed using various techniques, but they are challenging to eliminate completely through conventional treatment methods. This study developed a polymer-inclusion membrane using B2EHP and Aliquat 336 as transport carriers. Various parameters, including pH, initial concentration of the feed solution, concentration of the stripping solution, and temperature effects, were examined. Additionally, the membrane assembly's structure was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Under optimal conditions (pH: 3, stripping solution: 10 ppm norfloxacin), the developed membrane achieved a recovery factor of 91.2% after extracting norfloxacin. A polymer-inclusion membrane has been applied to biological samples to demonstrate the practicability and applicability of norfloxacin via membrane processes, with a calculated recovery factor of around 85.2%.