The innovation will lead to less hazardous chemicals and reduce health and environmental concerns associated with antibiotic contamination 

Scientists have developed an efficient photocatalyst that can degrade sulfamethoxazole, a broad-spectrum antibiotic to less hazardous chemicals and reduce health and environmental concerns associated with antibiotic contamination. 

Antibiotic contamination has several adverse effects, including antibiotic resistance, ecological impact, human health concerns, etc. Hence, there is a need to find ways to mitigate this environmental issue.

A team of scientists from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology have synthesised copper zinc tin sulfide Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticles (NPs) and copper zinc tin sulfide -tungsten disulfide CZTS-WS2 composite.

The team led by Prof Devasish Chowdhury utilised a hydrothermal reaction of zinc chloride, copper chloride, tin chloride and tungsten disulfide forming a composite that is an efficient photocatalyst in degrading sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics like sulfamethoxazole (SMX) have long been used to treat human illnesses like urinary and respiratory tract infections. However, more than 54 per cent of SMX was released into the environment along with the faeces and urine of the patients.

“CZTS and its nanocomposites are a multifunctional quaternary semiconductor nanomaterial made up of earth-abundant, inexpensive, and non-toxic components possessing remarkable photostability making it extremely valuable in light-harvesting and photocatalyst applications,” said Prof Chowdhury.

The team consisting of Nur Jalal Mondal, Rahul Sonkar, Mridusmita Barman and Dr Mritunjoy Prasad Ghosh, established that the CZTS-WS2 composite exhibits good photocatalytic activity for the breakdown of sulfamethoxazole.

The developed catalyst could be recovered and used repeatedly without losing its effectiveness, which is very important from an economic point of view.

PIB