of energy conversion and catalytic degradation of different pollutants including
pharmaceuticals.
Wastewater treatment still faces major challenges efficiency-wise; one of the
most important is that it needs to perform adequately when applied in the different
environments where pollutants are found, and this is not an exception for pharmaceuticals whose different nature and great stability require the use of very powerful
techniques to destroy them. Thus, even the current AOPs can be benefitted by using
nanotechnology on preparation of their catalysts. In terms of photocatalysis, it
cannot be denied that the preparation of semiconductors in the nanosized range
has greatly improved the photocatalytic conversion efficiency; however, some other
approaches such as the addition of metal nanoparticles or graphene to avoid electronhole pair recombination still need further research to overcome some drawbacks
including stability and hereby reusability of the compound materials. These materials have shown high photocatalytic efficiency. Therefore, efforts to make them
more stable and resistant to different environments still represent a challenge in
terms of their applications.
In electrocatalysis, nanotechnology is beginning to be explored for the preparation of nanoelectrocatalysts with increased surface area that can produce a larger
concentration of highly reactive species. Also, as with photocatalysts, some nanostructured materials have shown improved electron mobility such as the nanotubular
structures of metal oxides. This opens the possibility of using the latter as platforms
to hold other electroactive oxides, metal nanoparticles, and carbon nanomaterials,
which can also be of aid in improving catalyst performance toward oxidation of
NSAIDs.
As previously mentioned, not only the combinations of different materials can
develop unique functionalities within these processes, but the combination of such
procedures could represent an additional strategy for fighting against pollution.
Based on current trends, we expect that more mixed technologies will be investigated in the future, aimed at improving removal of NSAIDs, and other pharmaceuticals from wastewaters and nanotechnology will play a key role in their
development.
Acknowledgments Authors wish to express their gratitude to the Mexican National Science
Council (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONACyT) for funding our experimental
research related to the topics discussed in this chapter under the Project No. PN 2016 – 3620.
Also, authors are very grateful to Dr. Hector Ruiz-Espinosa for proofreading this manuscript.
References
1. Mendez-Rojas MA, Cordova-Lozano F, Gojon-Zorrilla G, Gonzalez-Vergara E, Quiroz MA
(1999) Direct electrosynthesis of Cu, Cd, Zn complexes of piroxicam (4-hydroxy-2-methyl-N(pyridyl)-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide-1,1-dioxide) and isoxicam (4-hydroxy-2methyl-N-(5-methy-3-isoxazolyl)-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide,1,1-dioxide)
in
nonaqueous media by in-situ generation of supporting electrolyte. Polyhedron 18:2651–2658
296
M. Cerro-Lopez et al.
pharmaceuticals.
Wastewater treatment still faces major challenges efficiency-wise; one of the
most important is that it needs to perform adequately when applied in the different
environments where pollutants are found, and this is not an exception for pharmaceuticals whose different nature and great stability require the use of very powerful
techniques to destroy them. Thus, even the current AOPs can be benefitted by using
nanotechnology on preparation of their catalysts. In terms of photocatalysis, it
cannot be denied that the preparation of semiconductors in the nanosized range
has greatly improved the photocatalytic conversion efficiency; however, some other
approaches such as the addition of metal nanoparticles or graphene to avoid electronhole pair recombination still need further research to overcome some drawbacks
including stability and hereby reusability of the compound materials. These materials have shown high photocatalytic efficiency. Therefore, efforts to make them
more stable and resistant to different environments still represent a challenge in
terms of their applications.
In electrocatalysis, nanotechnology is beginning to be explored for the preparation of nanoelectrocatalysts with increased surface area that can produce a larger
concentration of highly reactive species. Also, as with photocatalysts, some nanostructured materials have shown improved electron mobility such as the nanotubular
structures of metal oxides. This opens the possibility of using the latter as platforms
to hold other electroactive oxides, metal nanoparticles, and carbon nanomaterials,
which can also be of aid in improving catalyst performance toward oxidation of
NSAIDs.
As previously mentioned, not only the combinations of different materials can
develop unique functionalities within these processes, but the combination of such
procedures could represent an additional strategy for fighting against pollution.
Based on current trends, we expect that more mixed technologies will be investigated in the future, aimed at improving removal of NSAIDs, and other pharmaceuticals from wastewaters and nanotechnology will play a key role in their
development.
Acknowledgments Authors wish to express their gratitude to the Mexican National Science
Council (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONACyT) for funding our experimental
research related to the topics discussed in this chapter under the Project No. PN 2016 – 3620.
Also, authors are very grateful to Dr. Hector Ruiz-Espinosa for proofreading this manuscript.
References
1. Mendez-Rojas MA, Cordova-Lozano F, Gojon-Zorrilla G, Gonzalez-Vergara E, Quiroz MA
(1999) Direct electrosynthesis of Cu, Cd, Zn complexes of piroxicam (4-hydroxy-2-methyl-N(pyridyl)-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide-1,1-dioxide) and isoxicam (4-hydroxy-2methyl-N-(5-methy-3-isoxazolyl)-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide,1,1-dioxide)
in
nonaqueous media by in-situ generation of supporting electrolyte. Polyhedron 18:2651–2658
296
M. Cerro-Lopez et al.