Synergistic integration of ZIF-8 and cuprammonium cellulose for enhanced antibiotic removal and microbial disinfection

The widespread pollution of water bodies with dumped antibiotics from hospital effluents, pharmaceutical wastewaters, and surface water poses a severe threat to ecosystems and human health, primarily due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. This study introduces an innovative electrospun cuprammonium cellulose (Cel) membrane integrating Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8), a metal organic framework (MOF), aimed at efficiently removing tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) in an aqueous environment. The inclusion of ZIF-8 enhances the membrane's adsorption capacity due to its high surface area and the hydrophilicity of Cel, further improving the membrane's mechanical and chemical stability. The resulting Cel/PAN@ZIF-8 composite membrane exhibited remarkable antibiotic adsorption efficiency, achieving up to 218.21 mg. g −1 for TC and 175.88 mg. g −1 for CIP, with a maximum ZIF-8 loading (4 wt%). Additionally, the membrane showed a significant antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ), demonstrating its dual functionality in both pollutant removal and microbial disinfection. The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, consistent with previous studies. The isotherm analysis conformed to the Langmuir model, which implies monolayer adsorption on homogeneous surfaces. The membrane exhibited high reusability, maintaining adsorption efficiencies of 88.66 % and 83.38 % after five cycles for TC and CIP, respectively, highlighting its potential for long-term use. XPS spectroscopy was employed to explore the potential adsorption mechanism for CIP and TC, with results suggesting that hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and electrostatic interactions play a key role in the adsorption process. The synergistic effect of ZIF-8 nanomaterials with biocompatible cellulose-based materials presents a promising approach to mitigating antibiotic contamination and combating microbial resistance. These results offer a low-cost and environmentally sustainable approach for wastewater treatment, with significant implications for public health and long-term environmental remediation.