Polyether Sulfone-Based Organic Nanoparticle Coupled Membrane for Detection and Purification of Amoxicillin Antibiotic from Wastewater

Abstract

Literature reveals that pharmaceuticals and derived metabolites are released continuously into the environment frompoint and nonpoint sources. Urban domestic effluents are the largest pathway of environmental pharmaceutical contamination and,thus, require improved treatment techniques to monitor and eliminate such contaminants from water and wastewater. In this regard,the present investigation describes the development of a self-assembled chemosensor using an azodye-based imine linked Co2+complex (R1.Co2+) that exhibits the potential for ratiometric and colorimetric quantification of AMX in buffer/aqueous media witha limit of detection = 0.717 μM and a limit of quantification = 4.14 μM. Further, the mechanism of detection of amoxicillin (AMX)has been explored through electrochemical studies, which reveals the oxidation of AMX by R1.Co2+ complex selectively, without anyinterference from other active analytes. The FE-SEM image reveals that the probe R1.Co2+ undergoes analyte-induced self-assembly,when interacting with AMX. Apparently, the R1.Co2+ complex was immobilized onto polyether sulfone (PES) membrane andevaluated for removal of AMX from environmental wastewater with adsorption capacity = 450.1 mg g−1 and removal efficiency =90%. Moreover, the developed hybrid membrane can also be utilized as a solid-state colorimetric sensor of AMX, as revealed by thehue, saturation, and value (HSV) parameter model through a portable mobile-based prototype