Adsorption and breakdown of penicillin antibiotic in the presence of titanium oxide nanoparticles in water.

The fate and transport of antibiotics in natural water systems is controlled in part by interactions with nanometer (10(-9)m) metal oxide particles. Experiments were performed by mixing solutions of ampicillin (AMP), a common, penicillin-class human and veterinary antibiotic, with 25 nm-TiO(2) (anatase) nanoparticles at different pH conditions. Both sorption and degradation of AMP were observed in the AMP-nanoparticle solutions.

Experimental determination of ampicillin adsorption to nanometer-size Al2O3 in water.

Transport of antibiotics in soil-water systems is controlled in part by adsorption to nanometer-size (10(-9)m) particles. Batch adsorption experiments were performed with ampicillin, a common amphoteric antibiotic, and 50 nm-Al(2)O(3) (alpha-alumina) at different pH conditions. Sorption to Al(2)O(3) can be described by linear isotherms for 2.