Assessing TiO2/Chitosan-Based Hydrogels for Water Remediation: Sunlight-Driven Degradation of Antibiotics in Water

Year: 2026

Authors: Cerea B., Ribaudo G., Gianoncelli A., Ferroni M., Vassalini I., Alessandri I.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Brescia, Dept Informat Engn DII, Brescia, Italy; INSTM, Brescia, Italy; CNR, INO, Brescia, Italy; Univ Brescia, Dept Mol & Translat Med DMMT, Brescia, Italy; Univ Brescia, Dept Civil Environm Architectural Engn & Math DICA, Brescia, Italy; CNR, ISMN Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Abstract: The widespread occurrence of pharmaceutical contaminants in aquatic environments requires the development of sustainable and efficient water treatment technologies capable of operating under realistic conditions. In this study, an integrated remediation system based on chitosan hydrogels embedding TiO2 nanoparticles is investigated, combining pollutant adsorption and photocatalytic degradation within a single, reusable system. The performance of the composite hydrogels was evaluated for the removal of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), selected as a model antibiotic, under simulated and real solar irradiation, using mineral water to reproduce environmentally relevant ionic strength conditions. Structural characterization confirms the effective immobilization of TiO2 within the hydrogel matrix, ensuring material stability and preventing nanoparticle release into water. The hybrid system exhibits high SMX removal efficiency (>85% for 10(-5) m SMX solutions) due to the synergistic interplay between adsorption and sunlight-driven photocatalysis, with TiO2 showing photocatalytic activity under solar irradiation. Moreover, the hydrogels show excellent structural integrity, resistance to microbial colonization and biofouling, and stable performance over multiple adsorption-photocatalysis cycles. These results demonstrate the robustness and practical applicability of TiO2/chitosan-based hydrogels for solar-driven water remediation and provide a promising platform for the development of advanced multifunctional materials for the treatment of emerging contaminants.

Journal/Review: ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES

More Information: The Authors acknowledge the use of instruments from the Proteomic Platform (Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Universita di Brescia). The authors also acknowledge support from Regione Lombardia. This work has been accomplished within the framework of the project: Rifiuti agroalimentari per la protezione delle piante (RiAPro), funded by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MITE)/CUP: D83C23001580001.
KeyWords: chitosan composite hydrogels; emerging organic pollutants; solar photocatalysis; sulfamethoxazole; water treatment
DOI: 10.1002/admi.70544