Sonocatalysis of a sulfa drug using neodymium-doped lead selenide nanoparticles

Undoped and Nd-doped PbSe nanoparticles with different Nd contents were successfully synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method. The prepared nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. Catalytic efficiency of undoped and Nd-doped PbSe samples was evaluated by monitoring the removal of sulfasalazine (SSZ) in aqueous solution under ultrasonic irradiations (sonocatalytic removal process). It was found that the presence of the K₂S₂O₈ accelerated the sonocatalytic removal of SSZ, but the presence of NaF, Na₂SO₄, NaCl, and NaHCO₃ obstructed it. The removal efficiency of 30.24% for PbSe and 86% for 12% Nd-doped PbSe was achieved at 90 min of reaction time, in the presence of peroxydisulfate. Also, the effect of operational parameters on the sonocatalytic removal efficiency and the dominant sonocatalytic removal mechanism were completely examined. It was found that removal of SSZ by sonocatalytic process was completed by the action of reactive oxygen species (ROS) rather than pyrolysis. An ecotoxicological test using an aquatic plant Lemna minor (L. minor) confirmed the negligible toxicity of the synthesized samples, which makes these nanoparticles appropriate for use as a sonocatalyst.