Simultaneous catalytic ozonation degradation of metronidazole and removal of heavy metal from aqueous solution using nano-magnesium hydroxide

Simultaneous removal of the antibiotics and heavy metals has attracted increasing attention since these contaminants are frequently detected in the aquatic environment. In this study, highly active nano-Mg(OH)2 was synthesized and firstly applied in catalytic ozonation system for simultaneous removal of metronidazole (MNZ) and heavy metal ions (Cu2+ and Zn2+). The results showed that the synthesized Mg(OH)2 nanoparticles exhibited high efficiencies of removing both MNZ and heavy metal ions (Cu2+ and Zn2+) in the catalytic ozonation process. Surprisingly, the removal efficiency of MNZ in the catalytic ozonation system with nano-Mg(OH)2 catalyst was improved in the presence of Cu2+ and Zn2+. Some parameters such as catalyst dosage, initial concentration of MNZ, initial concentration of heavy metal and reaction temperature could affect the simultaneous removal of MNZ and heavy metal ions (Cu2+ and Zn2+). This study provides an innovative and effective method for the simultaneous removal of antibiotics and heavy metals from the aquatic environment.