Photocatalytic degradation of naproxen in water under solar irradiation in the presence of globular NiFe2O4 nanoparticles

Globular NiFe2O4 nanoparticles have been synthesized by a simple sol–gel method. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the material have been thoroughly characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, specific surface area, and porosity analysis. Finally, NiFe2O4 has been tested for the photocatalytic degradation of naproxen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug widely present in water effluents, under natural solar light irradiation and under several experimental conditions. In particular, the beneficial effect of small H2O2 amounts added to the photocatalytic suspension has been highlighted. The kinetic model reveals that under solar irradiation, 85% of naproxen could be degraded in 60 min upon the addition of H2O2, while 65% degradation could be achieved in its absence. Results highlight that NiFe2O4 could be an efficient and promising material for photocatalytic water remediation.