Toxic antibiotic
effluents and antibiotic-resistant bacteria constitute
a threat to global health. So, scientists are investigating high-performance
materials for antibiotic decomposition and antibacterial activities.
In this novel research work, we have successfully designed ZIF-8@ZIF-67
nanocomposites via sol–gel and solvothermal approaches. The
ZIF-8@ZIF-67 nanocomposite is characterized by various techniques
that exhibit superior surface area enhancement, charge separation,
and high light absorption performance. Yet, ZIF-8 has high adsorption
rates and active sites, while ZIF-67 has larger pore volume and efficient
adsorption and reaction capabilities, demonstrating that the ZIF-8@ZIF-67
nanocomposite outperforms pristine ZIF-8 and ZIF-67. Compared with
pristine ZIF-8 and ZIF-67, the most active 6ZIF-67@ZIF-8 nanocomposite
showed higher decomposition efficacy for ciprofloxacin (65%), levofloxacin
(54%), and ofloxacin (48%). Scavenger experiments confirmed that
•
OH,
•
O
2–
, and h
+
are the most active species for the decomposition of ciprofloxacin
(CIP), levofloxacin (LF), and ofloxacin (OFX), respectively. In addition,
the 6ZIF-67/ZIF-8 nanocomposite suggested its potential applications
in
Escherichia coli
for growth inhibition
zone, antibacterial activity, and decreased viability. Moreover, the
stability test and decomposition pathway of CIP, LF, and OFX were
also proposed. Finally, our study aims to enhance the efficiency and
stability of ZIF-8@ZIF-67 nanocomposite and potentially enable its
applications in antibiotic decomposition, antibacterial activities,
and environmental remediation.